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Ottawa police investigating high-end vehicle thefts

Ottawa police are investigating several high-end vehicle thefts in the city, four of which occurred Sunday in the east end. Lars Hagberg / File / The Canadian Press

Several high-end vehicles have been stolen in the Ottawa area and police say they are possibly being shipped overseas.

On Sunday, four vehicles were stolen in the east end of the city, including three Lexus SUVs and a Range Rover.

Thieves gain access to the cars through the keyless entry system. According to experts, the fob that comes with these keyless cars has a frequency number. Thieves use tech to copy the number and spoof the car into believing the fob is in the car, giving them the ability to unlock and even start the car and drive away.

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Police recommend that owners of these vehicles keep their keys in the pouch they come in, called a Faraday pouch or shield. That’s what stops the thieves from picking up the frequency from the fob. For those with garages, police recommend keeping the car in the garage.

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The video below, released by West Midlands Police in the U.K., shows how a theft like this could occur using tech to spoof the frequency of the fob.

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