YOUR CAR
CAN BE STOLEN
in under 60 seconds with no alarm triggered
BMW immobiliser: stop relay and key-programming theft
LockCAR is a UK immobiliser maker. This guide shows how thieves take a 3 Series, 1 Series or X5 without the key, and how a hidden immobiliser keeps the engine blocked until you disarm it. Fitted at home or at work from £249.
- Fitted from £249
- Hands-free or PIN
- No subscription
How many BMWs are stolen in the UK
The numbers come from the DVLA, the agency that registers every car in the UK.
BMW was the second most stolen car make in the UK in 2025. DVLA figures obtained by What Car? under Freedom of Information show 5,489 BMWs reported stolen that year, behind only Ford. Two BMW models were in the top 20.
| Model | Cars stolen in 2025 | UK rank |
|---|---|---|
| BMW 3 Series | 1,249 | 5th |
| BMW 1 Series | 754 | 15th |
| All BMW models | 5,489 | 2nd make |
Across all makes, 54,830 cars were reported stolen in 2025, down from 61,343 in 2024. The fall is real, but keyless cars are still taken quickly and quietly, and many are never seen again.
How thieves steal a BMW without the key
All four methods fool the factory security, because the factory immobiliser trusts the key signal and the car’s own network.
- Relay attack on Comfort Access
- One thief holds a receiver near your front door and picks up the signal of the key inside. A second thief at the car repeats it, and the car unlocks and starts as if the key were there.
- Key programming through the OBD port
- Once inside, a programming tool plugged into the diagnostic port can add a new key to the car. Older BMWs without keyless entry are taken this way.
- CAN injection
- Some thieves reach the car’s wiring behind a headlight or wheel arch and send it the same messages a genuine key would. Nothing happens at your front door.
- Towing
- A car lifted onto a truck does not need to be started at all. Only a GPS tracker helps you find it afterwards.
What stops it, and what does not
Free habits help, but they fail the night you forget. A hidden immobiliser works every time the car is parked.
Helps
- A signal-blocking pouch or tin for the key, every night
- Keeping keys away from the front door
- A hidden immobiliser that needs its own TAG, ring, watch or PIN
- A GPS tracker if the car is towed away
Not enough on its own
- The factory immobiliser: a relayed key looks genuine to it
- A pouch when the key is in your pocket in a car park
- A steering wheel lock: it slows a thief, it does not stop the engine
Choose how you disarm the immobiliser on your BMW
Hands-free or PIN, made in the UK and paid for once.
Every LockCAR immobiliser does the same job: the engine will not start until it gets its own signal. You choose what that signal is.
| Immobiliser | How you disarm it | Hands-free | Kit | Fitted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fob (TAG), IC3262 | Carry the small TAG fob | Yes | £139 | £249 |
| Smart ring | Wear the paired ring | Yes | £149 | Ask us |
| Smartwatch | Wear your smartwatch, no extra fob | Yes | £160 | Ask us |
| PIN code, CAN-IMMO | Enter your sequence on the steering wheel buttons | With optional TAG | £189 | £299 |
The TAG suits drivers who want nothing to change: keep the fob on your keyring and drive. If you would rather carry nothing, choose the PIN code on the steering wheel buttons.
How fitting works
No garage visit is needed and you keep your factory key and Comfort Access.
Check your BMW
Enter your registration in the Vehicle CHECK, or send the model, year and postcode on WhatsApp.
Fitting at home or work
A LockCAR approved installer fits the immobiliser out of sight, at your home, at work or at an installation centre.
Pair and drive
Your TAG, ring, watch or PIN is paired to the car and you are shown how it arms and disarms.
Want a camera and a tracker too?
One install, one app.
An immobiliser stops the car being driven away. If your BMW is parked on the street, or you want to know where it is at any time, a dashcam system with a built-in immobiliser adds evidence and GPS.
| System | What it includes | GPS tracker | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| LockCar One | Dashcam + immobiliser | No | £450 |
| LockCar One Plus 4G | Dashcam + immobiliser + GPS tracker | Yes | £499 |
| LockCar Duo RH | Dual-camera dashcam + immobiliser | No | £550 |
| LockCar Duo RH Plus 4G | Dual-camera 4G dashcam + immobiliser + GPS tracker | Yes | £699 |
Where we fit
LockCAR approved installers fit across the UK. In Birmingham and the West Midlands that includes Sutton Coldfield, Solihull, Edgbaston, Harborne, Erdington, Walsall, Wolverhampton, Dudley, Stourbridge, Halesowen and West Bromwich, and further out Coventry, Nuneaton and Stoke-on-Trent.
Wherever you are, send your BMW model and postcode on WhatsApp and we will match you with the nearest approved installer.
Book a fitting
Tell us your model, year and postcode and we confirm an installer and a date.
Not sure which one?
Answer a few questions and we suggest the right protection for your car and where you park.
Questions from BMW owners
Why are BMWs stolen so often?
BMW was the second most stolen make in the UK in 2025, with 5,489 cars reported stolen according to DVLA figures published by What Car?. Keyless Comfort Access can be relayed, and a new key can be programmed through the diagnostic port.
Does an immobiliser stop a relay attack on a BMW?
Yes. A relay can make the car believe its key is present, but the LockCAR immobiliser keeps the engine blocked until it gets its own TAG, ring, watch or PIN, so the car does not drive away.
How much does it cost to protect a BMW?
Kits start at £139. Fitted by a LockCAR approved installer, the TAG version costs £249 and the PIN version £299. There is no subscription.
Will I still use my factory key and Comfort Access?
Yes. You keep your BMW key and everything it does. The immobiliser only adds a second check before the engine can start.
Is LockCAR Thatcham approved?
Not yet. Our immobilisers are going through Thatcham Security Certification. Read what Thatcham approval means.
Do you come to me?
Yes. LockCAR approved installers fit at your home, at work or at an installation centre. Send your model and postcode on WhatsApp to find the nearest one.
Written by the LockCAR engineering team. We design and build our immobilisers in the UK and fit them through our approved installers. Meet the engineers. Last updated October 2026.
Sources: What Car?, DVLA figures for 2025 obtained under Freedom of Information.
