Motorists are being warned that criminals are now using technology to force car alarm malfunction.
Guardian Media spoke with at least two members of the public who were victims of a method of theft which has grown in infamy internationally and now seems to have been put in use by local car thieves.
One resident of Orchard Gardens in Chaguanas told Guardian Media he was a victim on August 28 at the Medford Gas Station in Chaguanas. The 62-year-old man, who asked to be referred to as ‘Uncle Joe’, said when it was time for him to go into his vehicle he could not.
“It just triggered off the alarm, I had no control, then I heard another vehicle close by, the alarm went off and he had difficulties in cancelling it. Then there was a chain reaction, several alarms went off and people were standing there confused,” he said.
He said he called his alarm specialist who told him he had heard of several instances of this happening in Grand Bazaar, Valsayn and Price Plaza, Chaguanas.
Eventually, the man said he was able to get into his vehicle. But his ordeal did not end there. When he and his wife got to their Orchard Gardens home they noticed their electronic gate slightly opened The gate then began opening and closing on its own. It was only then that he and his neighbours identified a possible culprit.
“We were standing in the road chatting when a black Corolla passed in a flash and it triggered several car alarms. One of the neighbours said he saw a man with a laptop in the front passenger seat of the vehicle,” he said.
He said he believes criminals are now using scramblers to deactivate alarms and force electronic gates to open.
He told Guardian Media that he believes they were monitored and followed from the gas station. He subsequently went to the Chaguanas Police Station where he was told by an officer that they are aware of the issue.
This was not an isolated incident either. Several kilometres away at Massy Stores in Petit Valley, Kevin Lee, also suffered a similar fate. Lee said he went into the store for just one item but when he returned he too was locked out his vehicle.
“When I pressed the disarm I heard nothing, I saw the lights flashing, which means that it’s armed and I knew I could not open the door, I continued pressing but nothing happened,” Lee recalled.
“At this point, other people began asking if it was happening to me too and eventually I noticed that at least seven other motorists were locked out of their vehicles, the cars just would not disarm.”
Guardian Media brought the matter to the attention of Commissioner of Police Gary Griffith, who promised to look into the matter.
Car jamming is the use of radio transmitters to interrupt the signal emitted from a car key and the vehicle’s transponder.
One car alarm specialist who spoke to GML suggested that drivers could protect themselves by double-checking their vehicles after parking in public car parks. He said although the car alarm or lock activation sounds are heard, motorists should still check to ensure that the vehicle is indeed locked.
