You park at a shopping center, get out, press the button on your key and walk away. It is a routine we go through automatically, almost without thinking. But what if your car never actually locked? That moment of inattention is exactly what thieves using signal jammers are waiting for.
In this article, you will learn how this trick works, why drivers usually don’t notice it, where thieves strike most often and what the police recommend. Finally, we will show you how a Pandora security system can protect your vehicle.
A case from Banská Bystrica: The owner was convinced he had locked the car
In early April 2026, the news portal Noviny.sk reported on a case from a shopping center parking lot in Banská Bystrica. A 56-year-old man used a signal jammer that prevented a parked car from locking. The owner walked away convinced he had locked the vehicle. The thief then got inside and stole money from a wallet in the storage compartment.
The perpetrator was apprehended shortly after the act. The investigator charged him with theft, and the man, who had previously been convicted of property crime, received an 18-month sentence.
How does a signal jammer work?
Your car’s remote control communicates with the vehicle using a radio signal. A jammer nearby transmits a strong interfering signal that drowns out this communication. When you press the button on your key, the lock command simply never reaches the car.
The driver usually doesn’t notice a thing. They press the button as always, turn around and walk away. They don’t check whether the doors have locked or whether the turn signals flashed. The car stays unlocked and the thief has a clear path to everything inside.
Where do thieves strike?
A typical spot is shopping center parking lots. People park there for a short time, often in a hurry and with their hands full of shopping, and on top of that, a large number of cars are parked in one place.
And these are not just isolated cases. In October 2023, the Police of the Czech Republic reported that Prague detectives had dealt with dozens of thefts from cars in shopping center parking lots. They were committed by organized groups of foreigners who used signal jammers. The total damage exceeded 750,000 Czech crowns.
What do the police advise?
The Police of the Czech Republic and experts consulted in connection with the Banská Bystrica case agree on a few simple steps:
- always check your car after locking it, for example by pulling the door handle,
- don’t leave valuables in plain sight in the vehicle,
- pay attention to your surroundings. A jammer has a limited range, so the perpetrator is usually standing nearby, watching you.
These measures are simple and effective. But they have one weakness: they rely on you not forgetting them when you are in a hurry.
How do Pandora systems protect your car?
Pandora security systems are designed to protect your vehicle even against modern methods of attack. For example, Pandora PRIMO and Pandora SMART offer:
- protection when a jammer is used,
- protection against tampering with the doors, hood and trunk,
- detection of glass breakage and interior intrusion (available at extra cost),
- a 3D accelerometer chip that monitors shocks, tilt and movement of the vehicle.
Pandora SMART also notifies the owner of every intrusion in the mobile app, and its GSM module can send a warning SMS or call up to 3 phone numbers. That way, you learn about a break-in attempt immediately, even if you are in the store at that moment.
For a thief, a signal jammer is a simple tool that opens a car with no broken glass and no noise. A moment of inattention in the parking lot is all it takes. So always check your car after locking it, don’t leave valuables in plain sight inside and pay attention to your surroundings.
