Page 6 - FWG Issue 7 August 2025

Security

THE HIddEN SIGNAl:

How thieves are using

Bluetooth to find and

steal laptops from

vehicles

Photo by Ruffa Jane Reyes on Unsplash

A Using readily available smartphone apps – some designed for
concerning new trend in theft is on the rise, and it’s
turning your vehicle into a high-risk zone for your valuable
finding lost headphones or other gadgets – thieves can scan any
given area, such as a parking lot at a mall, gym, or office park. These
electronics. 24/7 Security Services is alerting everybody
to a massive spike in laptop thefts from parked vehicles,
driven by a surprisingly simple yet effective method: thieves are apps display a list of all active Bluetooth devices in the vicinity.
A device named ‘Patrick’s MacBook Pro’ or ‘HP-Laptop-45B’ is an
using Bluetooth scanners to pinpoint your devices digitally. obvious giveaway. As the thief walks closer to a vehicle, the signal
strength shown on their app increases, allowing them to identify
That laptop you thought was safely hidden under a seat or in the the exact vehicle containing the device.
vehicle’s boot – if it’s not fully powered off, it could be sending out a
signal that acts like a beacon, leading criminals directly to your vehicle. Once your vehicle has been identified as the source of the signal,
it becomes a prime target for investigation. The thief knows with
In the past, a thief’s strategy was limited to peering through certainty that a valuable electronic item is inside, making the risk of
windows, hoping to spot a forgotten bag or a charging cord that had breaking a window worthwhile. They can be in and out in seconds,
been left unattended. This new method is far more sophisticated long before anyone notices.
and leaves little to chance.
The adage ‘out of sight, out of mind’ is no longer sufficient for digital
The constant signal devices. Even if your laptop is completely hidden from view, its
Most modern laptops, when put into ‘Sleep’ or ‘Hibernate’ mode, do digital signal is betraying its location.
not fully power down. To provide a seamless, quick-start experience,
they keep specific components active, including Bluetooth and Wi- The good news is that preventing this type of theft is simple – the
Fi radios. These features continuously emit small, detectable signals. key is to cut off the signal at its source.

Fourways Gardens • 4 • August 2025