Cayman robbed - but not driven away. Have they cloned my key?

[stewart.vickers]

I found my 2014 918 Cayman (parked on street in a not too upmarket part of North London) with the boot released and the passenger door not shut properly. Inside various papers had been thrown around and the sunvisors pulled down. Clearly someone had been in but there was no sign of forced entry.

I'm pretty sure its a relay attack or similar. I have a fob with buttons that has to go in the ignition to start the car. Hopefully they just wanted valuables or maybe to see if it had a keyless start (which it doesn't).

But equally I'm concerned that could they have either cloned my key or compromised the onboard computer?

I've bought a steering wheel lock and a Faraday pouch for my keys. If they came back is there anything they could do? Not too worried about access as I don't keep anything in there - just as long as they can't drive away.

I spoke to my insurers and they suggested changing the locks but not sure how that works yet.

Many thanks!

 

[ZacJames]

Sorry to read about attempted theft from your Cayman, but at least your car is safe.
You say you’ve bought a steering wheel lock, which, hopefully is the DiskLok.
It really is the best one to get, and more effective than any other types.

Pricy, I know, but well worth it.

I locked one onto my own car’s wheel whilst visiting London before realising the key was still in Newcastle!
Kindly AA guy had to cut it off with a grinder, which took some time.

 

[Twinfan]

Unless you have remote entry and drive, the faraday pouch isn't going to do anything. It sounds like you don't have that though if you have a fob with buttons. The signal is only sent from the key when a button is pressed.

Are you sure you didn't accidentally leave the car unlocked and it was just rifled through by an opportunistic thief?

 

[Motorhead]

Hi Stewart,

If there was no sign of forced entry it does sound as though accidentally you may have left it unlocked or that somehow it unlocked itself without your knowledge. As you walked away from the car, maybe inadvertently you pushed the unlock button when the key was in your pocket?

If you feel the need to change all the locks, check your insurance policy to see if it covers the replacement cost.

Jeff

 

[JMR]

I once parked my 987 in a car park and went for a coffee.
I walked away locked the car and put the keys in my trouser pocket and inadvertently (and very easily on the older 987 type key) the unlock button was being pressed and after an hour or so I got back to my car which was unlocked with the windows all the way down
Nothing taken though, car was actually empty

Hopefully your keys etc are ok Stewart

 

[ianthow]

I found my 2014 918 Cayman (parked on street in a not too upmarket part of North London) with the boot released and the passenger door not shut properly. Inside various papers had been thrown around and the sunvisors pulled down. Clearly someone had been in but there was no sign of forced entry.

I'm pretty sure its a relay attack or similar. I have a fob with buttons that has to go in the ignition to start the car. Hopefully they just wanted valuables or maybe to see if it had a keyless start (which it doesn't).

But equally I'm concerned that could they have either cloned my key or compromised the onboard computer?

I've bought a steering wheel lock and a Faraday pouch for my keys. If they came back is there anything they could do? Not too worried about access as I don't keep anything in there - just as long as they can't drive away.

I spoke to my insurers and they suggested changing the locks but not sure how that works yet.

Many thanks!

As others have said, it sounds like you accidentally left the car unlocked and some opportunistic individual was trying door handles hoping to find a key, e.g. above the visor, or valuables in an unlocked car.
Prior to the 981/991 models, the single button for lock/unlock makes it very easy to accidentally unlock the car by pressing the button twice. If you are used to cars with separate lock and unlock buttons, it is easy to walk away, pressing the lock button subconsciously as you do so and then, a few steps later, consciously press it again just to make sure you did lock it. Do that with a 987/997 and you will unlock it.
You can tell this by watching the car as you press the button, the direction indicator lights will give a double flash on lock, or a single flash on unlock.
The safe solution is to always physically check that the car is locked before walking away.

 

[A8 SPY]

My 2012 Cayman R has the single Lock/Unlock button and I've found it's very sensitive, I never put the key in my pocket until i'm a couple of hundred yards away from it, always double check its locked before walking away plus make sure both windows are fully up.

 

[malarcy]

One of the common "codings" relates to comfort opening on windows and the sensitivity to the frunk and boot release on the keyfob .

The button sensitivity thing means you need a longer press to trigger the opening - help prevent pocket fumbles. The comfort opening one basically disables the "open the windows if I hold the unlock button down" - the theory being if you fumble a key press in your pocket the car will unlock, but the windows won't drop - the car then notices you have unlocked but not opened anything, and then relocks. If you had comfort opening - then the windows could open, the car would still relock but it won't close them again.

 

[Spicytreats]

Hi, could it be that someone had 'nudged' into your car while trying to park etc? I actually witnessed someone bump into the front bumper on my Cayman, which instantly released the rear boot and unlocked the doors. I was lucky as I'd caught him in the act and his insurers paid for the repair in full, albeit it was only very slight paint damage. Might be worth having a close look at your paintwork, it could just be similar to what happened to me, and as previously said, an opportunist has been in looking for valuables.