Military-grade equipment used to steal cars in South Africa – Photos

Criminal syndicates in South Africa are using “military-grade” signal jammers to steal high-end cars and SUVs.

Last week, the South African Police Service’s Hawks division arrested two individuals in Naturena, south of Johannesburg, who are alleged to be part of large vehicle theft syndicates, after receiving intelligence information that stolen cars were kept at their property.

Members of the Hawks Tactical Operations Management Section, Insurance Crime Bureau, Gauteng Traffic’s Saturation Unit, SAPS Ekurhuleni Tactical team, SAPS Johannesburg K9, SAPS Gauteng Province Serious, and Violent Crimes unit proceeded to run a joint observation operation at the premises and stopped the suspects when they emerged from the property in one of the cars.

Upon searching the yard, officers found three stolen vehicles, vehicle VIN labels, multiple false registration plates and papers, devices used to start vehicles without a key, gloves, cellphones, and three military-grade signal jammers.

Hawks spokesman Colonel Katlego Mogale said the suspects are believed to be part of a syndicate that targets high-end motor vehicles, especially SUVs, in and around Gauteng province, as per IOL.

The officers discovered two Mazda CX-5 SUVs that were reported as stolen in Sandton and Parkview, respectively, as well as a grey Honda that was taken from its owner in Alberton.

The arrested duo, aged 32 and 37, were scheduled to appear before the Booysens Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 2 October, on charges of possession of stolen motor vehicles, possession of signal jamming devices, and possession of vehicle break-in as well as vehicle theft implements.

It’s currently unclear where they got a hold of the advanced signal jammers as the sale, purchase, and use of these devices are illegal for normal citizens in South Africa.

Recovered Mazda CX-5 SUVs

High-tech car thefts on the rise in South Africa

As recently as July, third-party warranty provider MotorHappy highlighted several high-tech methods with which premium cars are being targeted in the country.

The military-grade signal jammers are thought to be an integral tool for the key-jamming method, as criminals use them to intercept a key fob’s signal when an inattentive owner presses the button, thus preventing the car from locking and giving thieves easy access once the owner has left.

Another technique that has gained popularity in recent times is hacking a vehicle’s keyless-entry system.

Keyless cars are most commonly stolen via a method called a relay hack, which involves criminals picking up on the transmitted signal of the original key, diffusing it to a relay box being held by a second companion who is positioned closer to the car, which sends a message to the vehicle that the key is nearby, causing it to unlock.

With more and more modern cars now being capable of supporting an internet connection, cyberattacks on their Electronic Control Modules (ECMs) are also becoming a prevalent practice for stealing them.

ECMs can remotely manage the engine, transmission, powertrain, brakes, suspension, and more, presenting a target for clever criminals to hack and copy a vehicle’s credentials and data via an internet connection in order to bypass security measures, track its exact location, and clone its key signal to easily gain access.