I am writing this thread with a heavy heart after loosing my 2018 manufactured Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. Purpose of this thread is to understand how a vehicle of this model can be secured from vehicle thieves. My vehicle was parked in my private space in front of my house and as a practice I keep both my keys in two Faraday pouches to cut off any signals from the Keys to the vehicle. After knowing that there is a potential bug in the WiFi access point of this vehicle, I kept the AP disabled as well.
However, to my surprise, it was stolen and viewing the CCTV footage, it appears as if the thief opened the vehicle as if I was opening it with relative ease and drove it off quite comfortably. How could this happen?
Only explanation is that they have managed to clone the key by some means. Is it possible to do this by copying and replaying the data stream from the key to the vehicle?
I am lost to find a way that this could have happened?
Anyone who could think of how this could have happened?

 

I'm sorry @prasad@n-able.biz for your loss.
Please keep us updated about this incident.

Some questions to think about: when did you purchased your car? Was it a big dealer or small one or private person? When was the last time you've visited workshop and left keys there?

Depending on the country of residence and the level of corruption there, the keys' IDs for each car can leak out from Mitsubishi authorized database, i.e. people who has access and proper software/equipment may simply have cloned your keys without your knowledge, your car or those keys stored in your Faraday box.
That's the price we pay for digitalization.

 

Thanks daem0n for your thoughtful response.
I purchased the car in early February, 2020.
I am in the UK and this incident happened in North London where I live. Vehicle was purchased from an authorized dealer - Masters Mitsubishi in Croydon, London - they are one of the largest dealers here in London. My last service was with them in mid August this year.
I did not go for a mechanical deterrents such as Steering Wheel lock. Also I did not install an expensive tracker in my vehicle. Now I repent these measures were not taken earlier. These did not come to my mind as we were living in a very safe neighbourhood where, as per my neighbours, a theft of this nature has not happened in the last twenty years!
Yes, I will keep you all updated of what comes next in this ordeal.

Prasad

 

After stumbling across this thread via Google search, I signed up. I own an outlander too and I've noticed that these easily get stolen. I read a news article that one gang stole 5 in 1 day.

So they don't need your keys. Your keys can tuck away in 100 faraday bags for all the theives care. They are using a gameboy device that enters the car in seconds and starts it in seconds.

Here's the proof...

https://www.reviewgeek.com/100267/th...hi-outlanders/

And video proof...

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kOCf6-n6Rto