Keyless car theft takes under 60 seconds. A £15 pouch ends it.
Relay theft is the fastest-growing way cars are stolen in Britain — and it is completely defeated by a signal-blocking pouch on your hallway table.
What actually happens
Our analysis of police records counted over 16,000 vehicle crimes around UK town centres in a single year — and forces consistently report that a large share of modern car thefts are 'relay' attacks: one thief stands near your front door with an amplifier, picks up your key fob's signal from inside the house, and beams it to an accomplice at the car. The car thinks the key is present, unlocks, and starts. No smashing, no forcing — often under a minute, usually at night.
The uncomfortable part: your car's convenience feature is the vulnerability. Any keyless-entry vehicle parked within signal range of its own key is exposed, every night, for as long as the key sits unprotected.
Sources: our analysis of official police.uk and DfT records — see the vehicle crime data and methodology.
What to buy — the checklist
- ✓Dual-layer shielding fabric — single-layer pouches weaken with use
- ✓Test it the day it arrives: key inside, stand beside the car, pull the handle — the door must not open
- ✓A box for the hallway plus a pouch for your pocket covers both halves of the day
- ✓Room for both vehicles' keys — relay thieves don't care which car they take
- ✓Replace yearly if used daily — the lining fatigues before the fabric looks worn
Where to start looking
Budget: pouch two-pack
One per keyholder — covers the spare key too, the one everyone forgets.
~£10 · See options →
Our pick: box + pouch set
Box by the door for the nightly habit, pouch for your pocket.
~£18 · See options →
Known brand: Defender
Police-preferred-spec brand if you want a recognised name.
~£12 · See options →
Searches, not endorsements of a single listing — compare whatever you find against the checklist above. Want named picks ranked by attack rating? Best Faraday pouches & boxes for car keys UK (2026): what actually blocks relay theft.
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What changes once you own it
The relay method — the way most keyless cars are actually stolen — simply stops working on your driveway. Your car can no longer be unlocked from your hallway, your no-claims bonus stays intact, and you skip the average weeks-long insurance ordeal a theft claim involves. It is the highest protection-per-pound purchase in car security.
Asked before buying
Do Faraday pouches actually work?
Yes — a functioning Faraday pouch blocks the radio signal entirely, and you can verify it yourself in ten seconds: put the key in, stand next to the car, and try the handle. If the door stays locked, the relay route is dead. Test on arrival and every few months.
Do I need one if my car has a motion-sensor key?
Motion-sensor fobs that sleep when still reduce the window but don't close it — the key wakes whenever it moves, and many sleep modes take minutes to engage. A pouch costs less than a tank of fuel and closes the gap completely.
Pouch or box?
Both, ideally: a box by the door becomes the household habit ('keys live in the box'), and a pouch travels with you — car parks and gyms are relay territory too.
Related on Swift Assist
Vehicle crime in your town
Police-recorded crime around 100+ UK town centres, updated monthly — see the risk this defends against.
Read more →Steering wheel lock
A visible, Sold Secure-rated bar turns a 60-second theft into a noisy, tool-heavy job — so the thief moves on.
Read more →OBD port lock
Key-cloning theft runs through your car's diagnostic port. A steel lock over it closes the route.
Read more →Been in an accident? Let's sort it.
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