In the recent past, there has been a spike in cases of car thefts in various parts of the country in what seems to be a plan involving many criminals in the chain.
These criminals target small cars preferably Toyota models which include Probox, Axio and Fielder.
Over the years, however, there have been key technological advancements by various companies offering anti-theft security solutions.
The companies offer a wide range of products from car tracking to monitoring systems for all types of vehicles whether private or business.
Some of these security systems include alarms which are installed inside the car to deter unauthorized entry, and theft of detachable parts or vehicle as a whole.
Modern car alarms are made of a sophisticated array of sensors such as impact sensors, shock sensors, and ultrasonic sensors among others.
Installation of such systems has not been cheap with prices ranging from Sh5, 000 to Sh10, 000 depending on the functionalities.
But, did you know these systems can be jammed and your car stolen without a trace? These bunches of criminals appear to be also moving fast with the technology.
They now have gadgets referred to as signal jammers which can disable all tracking devices in the car completely once installed.
It is an electronic device that disrupts or blocks wireless communication signals by emitting radio frequency signals on the same frequency as the targeted signal, causing interference and preventing communication.
These devices are either wireless or magnetic and can be placed anywhere on the body of the car.
Currently, there are a few methods of detecting if someone is using a signal jammer and that explains why you should be careful when you leave your vehicle at a carwash yard or hire it out.
If you are that person who leaves your vehicle at a car wash, maybe you should reconsider this because you never know what those attendants are planning for you.
There are also the key jammers which work by positioning the jamming device near the targeted car which then sends a signal that interferes with the communication between the key fob and the car's system.
When you press the button to lock your car, the jammer blocks the signal and the car’s doors do not lock.
This device temporarily disables the immobilizer, making it easy for the thief to enter the car and steal your valuables.
Various companies in the country have since made progress in a bid to address this.
Joseph King’ori, the director of Carro Tracking Solutions says they are using the narrowband IoT (NB-IoT) to thwart any imminent thefts.
It is a wireless Internet of things (IoT) protocol that uses low-power wide area network (LPWAN) technology.
This network, King’ori says, picks any signal of the nearest device that can be used to jam the vehicle.
“The network provider receives regular data from the car and, as soon as a jamming attempt is detected, the device switches to recovery mode,” he notes.
