Electronic devices including signal jammers used by criminals in vehicle thefts will be banned in England and Wales under new laws.

The new laws clamp down on criminals who steal vehicles using electronic devices

The Crime and Policing Bill will be introduced to Parliament tomorrow (Tuesday 25 February), giving police officers and the courts new powers to target criminals who steal vehicles using electronic devices.

Under the new laws, anyone who is found in possession of one, or to have imported, made, adapted or distributed them, could receive a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment and an unlimited fine.

Notably, anyone caught with a device will have to prove they were using it for a legitimate purpose, in order to avoid prosecution.

Previously, prosecution for handling these devices was only possible if it could be proved by police that they had been used to commit a specific crime.

Keyless car theft – also known as ‘relay attacks’ – works through an electronic device that tricks the key fob signal into thinking the key is near to the car and then allowing the device to assume all key fob power in less than 60 seconds.

According to the 2022 to 2023 Crime Survey, such electronic devices are used by criminals in 40% of vehicle thefts in England and Wales. However, the Metropolitan Police Service estimates that, in London, signal jammers are used in approximately 60% of vehicle theft. And Tracker has previously reported that 94% of all vehicles that it recovers were stolen without the thief having possession of the keys.

Home Office data shows there were 732,000 incidents of vehicle-related theft in the year ending September 2024.

Dame Diana Johnson, Minister for Policing, Crime and Fire Prevention, said: “These new laws will prevent these devices from getting into the hands of thieves and organised crime groups.

“We will also continue to work closely with the National Police Chiefs’ Council, which includes supporting their National Vehicle Crime Reduction Partnership, which brings together the police and manufacturers to clamp down on vehicle crime.”

The RAC said outlawing the possession and distribution of signal jammers “cannot come soon enough”.

Welcoming the Government’s action, RAC head of policy Simon Williams added: “Having your car stolen is not only a violation, it causes massive amounts of stress and inconvenience as well as higher insurance costs for the individual concerned and drivers generally.

AA president Edmund King also said the tougher sentences should “make would-be thieves think again before stealing cars”.

“Relay theft and signal jamming is all too frequent and these measures will give police forces more opportunities to tackle car crime,” he added.

Thatcham Research also said it was a crucial development in addressing the rising tide of technologically-enabled vehicle crime.

Richard Billyeald, chief research and operations officer at Thatcham Research, who collaborated with the Home Office on the Bill, said: “This legislation addresses a critical vulnerability in the current vehicle security framework. By criminalising the possession and sale of these devices, we’re raising the stakes for criminals while protecting the legitimate automotive sector.”

Thatcham Research’s latest security assessments reveal that organised criminal gangs have shifted their tactics, moving away from opportunistic theft toward sophisticated operations that exploit technological vulnerabilities. This evolution in criminal methodology has contributed to the insurance industry facing record claim payouts, with the latest insurance industry data showing motor insurance claims totalled a record £11.7bn in 2024, and the average vehicle theft claim reaching £11,200 in the final quarter of 2024.

But Billyeald said vehicle security requires “a multi-faceted approach of which device regulation is a part”.

And Thatcham Research highlights that while the new legislation is positive, the organisation continues to collaborate with vehicle manufacturers and the police to address vulnerabilities, which forms only part of a broader strategy.

Other elements include the development of remote inhibit systems, measures to prevent the transfer of stolen parts between vehicles, and continued collaboration between insurers, manufacturers, and law enforcement to identify and address emerging security threats.

“Vehicle manufacturers have made significant strides in improving security over the past three decades, effectively shifting vehicle crime from low-level criminals to organised gangs,” Billyeald continued. “Our focus is now on disrupting theft pathways and devaluing stolen assets through technological innovation and cross-industry collaboration.”

And Bryn Brooker, head of road safety at dashcam firm Nextbase, said: “This ban and the associated prison sentences is good news for car owners worried about theft, especially those with keyless entry cars. There is, however, still a huge amount of theft that is going unpunished and so whether this ban will bring down the amount of thefts remains to be seen. Our research indicates that just 2.1% of car theft result in any charges at all for the thief. This has led to many drivers feeling that car theft has become essentially decriminalised.”