How can someone break into a prius?

And you're sure you locked it and all of the windows were rolled up?

Very bizarre.

I can't think how they would get in without breaking a window.

You GPS was in plain sight? Not put away?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Kenanna @ Jul 8 2007, 11:04 PM) [snapback]475302[/snapback]</div>

That sucks! Last time it happened to me, they broke a $300 window to steal a $50 radar detector. Sorry to hear of your loss.

Are you using the remote to lock or unlock, or using the 'keyless' system?

If using the remote, I would wonder if someone couldn't have 'cloned' the remote (I don't think it's encrypted). If using the keyless system, it's possible for someone to get close enough to you to clone the RFID signal (used by the keyless system) without you even knowing it (a known weakness of RFID systems).

Both of these would require a fair amount of technical sophistication (and cool technology), and if they could do this, they could do a whole lot more than just steal your GPS/stuff.

Was the alarm set when you returned? If not, I'd go with Occam's razor and really wonder if maybe you forgot to arm? (I wish the car would auto-arm when the keyless sensor is removed).

There are other technical experts here who can take this further, but thought I'd toss in my 2 cents, FWIW.

oat

 

If the back seat was pushed down and nothing was broken, then I suspect your hatch was not locked. They crawled in the back and folded down the seat to get forward.

Tom

 

Thieves do it from behind... hahaha
Ya, either your RFID was cloned or for some reason your hatch was open.
Both very easy.

 

What is RFID?

 

encrypted: no
Rolling code: no

car RFID is very easy to hack. Its as basic as it gets.

 

ouch! I want to put a 7 inch touchscreen in, but theft is a concern, My parking lot attendant is likely to steal it himself, be asleep while its stolen, or not call the cops as he watches it being stolen. Maybe the hatch wasn't all the way closed?

 

Maybe it was shaved keys? It's how they broke into my Acura without a single finger print or broken door/glass. Not a scratch on my car! They completely cleaned my car out of everything. Cops caught them and found a whole bunch of shaved keys for all sorts of cars (among many other stollen items/cars).


*shaved keys are keys specific to a certain make of car (Acura, Ford, Chevy, anybody etc) that have been shaved so that they are JUST similar enough to any car model of that make, so that they can stick it in and wiggle it around a little, then poof the door unlocks.

 

Google "lock bumping". It's very easy to do this. One of our clients had rekeyed all his house, business, and car keys to use this nifty cross shaped key that is immune to bumping. He also then had one key for all his doors, which has pros and cons but was damned convenient.

Another method: I recently locked my keys in a car and had AAA open it. He stuck a rigid wire in and nudged the door unlock button. poof. The wire had a hook on it and he also had tried just yanking the handle but couldn't get enough leverage.

 

I don't know why everyone immediately thinks of the hardest way to break into a Prius - cloning the code. All you have to do is watch for a Prius parking, sneak up behind, and before the driver gets too far away, open the rear hatch (just enough to unlock it). Once the driver is out of sight, open it up and do your scum-of-the-earth thing.

Of course this will not work if the car doesn't have SKS.

 

Like any car, there is actually a manual lock mechanism in the Prius' doors. The simplest way to break into any car is the way that any professional lock smith does it - reach down into the door with a slim jim and trip the manual lock mechanism. If the hatch is propped open, the car won't lock - you get the long beep that says "Hey dummy, you left a door open". If the SKS was cloned, the alarm wouldn't have gone off. I'm not sure why the seat would be folded down, but the hatch would be the hardest place to break in without damage.

Even though we get so used to the SKS that we walk up to other cars and pull on the handle, then look dumb when they don't open, we shouldn't forget that the older, simpler systems are also there in the car.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mad Hatter @ Jul 9 2007, 12:22 PM) [snapback]475546[/snapback]</div>

I agree with Mad Hatter. I think the old-school method is likely what happened. If all that was taken was a few possessions from inside the car, I doubt the thief had the expensive equipment required for cloning signals, etc...

Had it been that level of pro, the car would be gone and nobody would have been the wiser. B) The OP should consider himself lucky all he lost was the GPS and there was no expensive damage to the car in the process.

Speaking of slim-jimming this car, since there is mechanical keyhole on the passenger side, is this side 'protected' from slim-jim attacks? I realize it has nothing to do with the presence of a keyhole, but rather how the locking mechanism is laid out inside the door... I have just never seen what the inside of the door looks like.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Slair @ Jul 9 2007, 06:49 AM) [snapback]475467[/snapback]</div>

Could you document your sources for this info - I recall seeing a document (around 2004 or so) that detailed information about the Prius security system, and it certainly wasn't basic (and I thought I saw that it was both encrypted and rolling codes). I've since looked for the document a few times, but either my searching sucks, or it was removed.

I know there were some documents about other cars being hacked by people duplicating signals, but I havn't seen anything specific for the Prius.

Dave

 

Any rigid wire can be either punched though the weather stripping or just over the glass on the window to push the unlock button. BAM its open. Any car that has a button on a flat arm rest with a window at a slight angle unfortunately is easy to do. Very useful to help people who locked there keys in there cars.

Any thief can also break of a older car antenna off and use it to unlock the door in a pinch, that way you can steal whats inside to sell or give to your crack dealer in trade...but keep the antenna!!! You can use it to smoke crack from later, Just use that busted light bulb, foil or beer can and that cheap lighter you found in the last car!

Or there is the slimjim....but they are like $5... Best to break off antennas as that $5 is better spent on the extra crack.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jewelerdave @ Jul 10 2007, 11:47 AM) [snapback]476023[/snapback]</div>

Isn't the unlock button deactivated when you lock the doors?

 

Not sure, I have never had to break into my prius as you cant lock your keys inside. If it disables this is great news if you want to hold someone hostage inside your car...but then again there is the manual unlock. Most cars lock and unlock buttons work when the car is off.
fact is no matter how high tech something gets there is always going to be a low tech solution or hack. One can always break a window. Noisy you think!...not if you use a spring loaded metal punch. One press and click and the whole window is gravel and safely falls down and away. Its what medics use to break a window of a car to keep people from flinching when injured and trapped, One cant have someone with a broken neck and being alive moving if you have to break glass.

Bottom line is this, If you have something valuable in your car and its in plain sight and someone else wants it badly enough they are going to take it.

Even if its not in plain sight anyone with enough determination is going to find it in about 30 seconds.

want to see for your self. Go to youtube and look up car thief rampage. Here is the link

http://youtube.com/watch?v=iqXQVUw6r_E

Watch in Horror what this F&*# does and ask your self this..."Is there anything you can do to prevent someone like this from stealing from your car?"

 

wow, I found a video of exactly what I was talking about

check it out

http://youtube.com/watch?v=FR-YsDkLdi0

 

Though I have no idea, should we have a how to thread on how to break into a prius? Lol