OK so BMW 530d m sport
Car "Broken into" window smashed no sign of entry, no alarm, didn't take anything from car despite being a few nice things in there.
Later discover that the flap to the OBC on board computer - and the attached ECU reader has been pulled out as far as possible from a latch that I never open and it needs a bit of force to open...that is the only sign of activity...it's clear after chatting with a few chaps that know a few folk that it is possible that the assailant may have accessed the ECU - hence no alarm and a new habit for the boot to now open randomly from last night - that each car has its own digital signal and it is possible to clone the code - allowing someone to return and with the correct coding drive of in a nice motor without waking you up or alarms going off...am I being daft?
As a precaution I removed a big clutch of fuses which now render the car imoveable and parked a car in front of it....

Have I taken it too far? :-)

No in fact I'd be shitting my pants as its obviously going for a walk awesome point! I take it you've told the insurance?

Use the fuel cut out every night, "only the paranoid survive" (Andy Grove, Intel)

How's that?

Yup - I suppose they let you fix the glass then take the shiny motor. Can you get the ECU "recoded"?

You need to read this http://www.neowin.net/news/bmw-security-flaw-allows-theft-in-180-seconds-or-less

BMW has a major problem with cars being so easy to steal if the thief can access the OBD2.

Nice to know its for everyone to know this now.
(Not at you CC but its broadcast)
Right, where's the bimmers

The "wronguns" have known this for sometime, there is another trick to do with Crash sensors, I knew a bloke who could get into my 2002 M3 without the key than I could with it. He did something and doors unlocked.

May as well just leave the engine running then.

As mentioned - key fuses removed, car going to BMW specialist next weekend...so other cars moved in front of it for now and a big wheel clamp being bought tomorrow - and .22 buy the door along with an array of cudgels :-) ;-)
Thanks guys - I have no doubt now that it has been cloned or attempted ...
Better safe than sorry I guess ...

Was this outside your house Cam?

The current security software is just that.
Software.

Modern vehicles use a digital signal that the ecu recognises allowing deactivation of the handbrake and steering lock amongst other features.

Live data and actuator controls allow operation of almost every electronic component via a laptop.
If your clever enough then all modern vehicles need is a geek and a laptop to enable theft.
When I worked for Peugeot,various master technicians such as myself at that time were shipped down to Coventry to sort niggles or faults.
The software provided allowed you to reconfigure and alter any known parameter or actuate it.
You could write a program that upon connection downloaded a software program that could disable the security,start the car and allow a specific time until the engine or components shut off.

If someone has the correct software and monitors you unlocking the car within 5 metres then your handing them a digital signal unique to your vehicle.

Never heard of it done yet in the press but its only a matter of time.
Scary.

As they broke your window they can't be too smart as there's a much simpler way into those bmw's using a thin ruler,long nose pliers,and around a 2 ft section of wire.

Yes sir

Cheers John
Good article here
http://www.securemycar.co.uk/bmw-stolen.html

But in here it seems BMW recognise this and dealers will act FOC :-)
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/bmw/60264/bmw-owners-offered-fix-hi-tech-theft

There was a way back in the late 90s to use a digital watch to steal a car,
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/1999/jan/26/davidward

I would take the Securemycar more seriously, if they could spell.

though this part sounds familiar?

"The latest craze is to brake into your car, hack into your cars main brain and clone a new key through the OBD port. They then make it look like a failed attempt or a petty theft by stealing something like your iPod or Tomtom. You then replace the window and locks making your car look new again. When the car is needed they will return but this time armed with the cloned key to your car. The car is then used for ram raids, drug runs and other criminal activity. All cars recovered are checked by BMW. But a third key has never shown up in the cars system. It's almost like they hack into the system and plant a ghost key hidden in your cars brain. One customer had this happen a few weeks ago. They smashed a window and stole his ipod. The car was then stolen 3 weeks later and used in a drug run. It was then found days later in a really bad way. "

Over the past few months there has been a growing number of thefts of all BMW vehicles built between 2004-2012, accross the UK. All cars manufactured with the cartridge type BMW key fob which slots into the dash with push button start or comfort access are under threat. Over the past 8 months, we at Secure My Car have been working closely with a number of BMW owners who have had their cars broken into or stollen by this new threat. There are a number of security risks with these cars. At the moment, gangs are operating mostly in and around London, Essex, Northampton and Birmigham areas with hundreds of BMW's being stollen every month.


This is from the first link. I never bring up spelling or grammar but fucj

Stollen: German marzipan-flavoured Christmas cake. In case you were wondering...

Not sure what 'comfort access' is, though!

I was thinking that if the car has a fuel cut out switch like the Coupe, you could knock it out each evening when you park up. This way they may take the car and get 1 mile, then it will stop, they won't have a clue and be forced to abandon.

Or pull the plug out of the ecu before you go to bed.
Parking a car infront is ok but smash a window, drop the hand brake and it'll move.
It's a real shame that electronic security is so much easier to get round than a key! Won't be long before there is a finger print or some such device to allow you to move a car, sad state of the world.

in fairness - removing a key fuse of an evening seems to do the trick...
will also pick up something from Halfords...

I shared this before but i have seen a Renault Espace started using a (random) Blackberry battery rather than the key card. If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I'd never have believed it.

A few years back my grandparents house got broken into. My dad got these little alarms for the glass that responded to shock. Unfortunately I can't remember were he got them from (it may have been work). But you could attach on of these in your car. The shock of the door closing would be enough to set if off (and you know when they've gone off).

It wouldn't be a deterrent, but it would spook them good. Maybe a steering clamp, wheel clamp, and one of the alarms?

Spoke to the police - and bar giving the flap for the OBC to them to chemically test (Which sadly means you loose that part as the chemicals are dangerous) not much they can do... And bearing in mind these guys are clearly organised - i would guarantee that nothing will be found and they will be kitted up.
Police are aware its happening and really increasing - they have told me the pattern is - break in to car (People assume its random vandalism - get window fixed - they wait a day/week etc return and away it goes...
As i suspected...

Guns. Lots of guns.

Hungry lion on the passenger seat?

Went for disklok
They caught the little scab too :-)

How did they say?

Caught in another one nearby popped in clink - admitted 2 others...

Result! Pat on back to public and plod...how old is the perp?