Break in without breaking glass?

[Jay4-30]

I’ve been searching for reports of break-ins without a broken window but it seems like that’s the most common method. My M3 was broken into last night, including accessing the glove box, and there are no signs of how they got in and the alarm never went off (sentry mode was not on). Only thing that was missing was the charging adapter.

Is it common, or is there a known hack to get inside the car, and open the glovebox without breaking anything?

Why not steal the charger too? Is that somehow tied to the car?

Thanks. I really just curious as I’m still puzzled about how they got in.

 

[GtiMart]

If memory serves me right, in the past cars that had windows without a metal border (sorry, don't know the exact name for that) were easy to get into. One just had to pull on the window outwards and slip something inside. Maybe it's possible to do this with a model 3 and press the "door open" button?

 

[Jay4-30]

If memory serves me right, in the past cars that had windows without a metal border (sorry, don't know the exact name for that) were easy to get into. One just had to pull on the window outwards and slip something inside. Maybe it's possible to do this with a model 3 and press the "door open" button?

Thanks for the reply GtiMart. I suppose that’s a possibility for gaining access to the cabin but I would think that would set off the alarm? It also doesn’t explain how they got into the glovebox without breaking anything- unless the touch screen is active as soon as the door is opened- even without a key? I’ll have to test that out.

 

[quikshifter]

Maybe it wasn't locked? since Alarm didn't come on.

 

[P3dStealth]

If your cell phone is still connected to your car they can just open the door, the glove box, drive away. How close do you park to your house?

 

[roblab]

If your cell phone is still connected to your car they can just open the door, the glove box, drive away. How close do you park to your house?

Of course, if they drive away you can see where they are, call the cops, watch them get arrested.

I let a couple do a test drive on my car with instructions to stay in town. Don't know where they were headed, but I got into my other car and followed when they got ten miles away. Pulled into the 7-11 where they were parked and wifey drove her car back home, and we left the couple there. Some other couple came and picked up their car that afternoon.

 

[Knightshade]

Maybe it wasn't locked? since Alarm didn't come on.

Yup, seems by far the best explanation for what has been described.

 

[Jay4-30]

If your cell phone is still connected to your car they can just open the door, the glove box, drive away. How close do you park to your house?

Phones were in the back of the house, car was parked on the street in front of the house. My phones were way more than 30’ from the car (which is typically the max BT range). But, who knows maybe somehow pocket unlocked it.

 

[RayK]

If memory serves me right, in the past cars that had windows without a metal border (sorry, don't know the exact name for that) were easy to get into.

I believe that the term you are looking for is "frameless windows" (or doors).

 

[GtiMart]

Thanks @RayK English is not my main language. For the most part I can express myself well but there are still words I don't know / recall when I need them.

 

[RayK]

English IS my main (and only) language and there's been many times lately that I've suffered from the same malady. I chalk it up to "old age".

 

[GtiMart]

Hum... I've heard of repeaters that could be used, for "push to start" cars in general not specifically Teslas. Could someone have used such a repeater closer to where the phones are, in order to fool the car in thinking the phone is actually close?

 

[stopcrazypp]

I believe that the term you are looking for is "frameless windows" (or doors).

Kind of off topic, but I should point out air wedges (where they put a bag into the door frame gap and inflate it to create a gap) and slimjims (where they slide a thin piece of metal to unlatch the lock) existed well before frameless windows, so having or not having it doesn't really mean much.

As for OP, I believe like others say either the keys were in range, or the perp used a signal booster (a common attack). I personally turn off Bluetooth regularly, so I avoid this problem. If you have a key fob you can buy a faraday bag to put them in to prevent this also.

 

[RayK]

If you have a key fob you can buy a faraday bag to put them in to prevent this also.

Note that this may only be needed for the second version of fob. The initial version was a passive fob and required almost physical contact with the B pillar in order to be detected, much like a keycard. I'm not sure a signal booster (relay) could be used on such a fob. The second version, which I believe uses BLE, does have a much longer range and would be susceptible to signal boosters.

 

[KenC]

Could they have gotten in, in the short period of time when you get out of your car, and before it auto-locks?

 

[Az_Rael]

Did you use the keycard to unlock the car? I believe the car will not auto lock if the keycard was used to unlock the car on the previous drive.
It is a good idea to turn on the horn beep for walk away lock to make sure the car always locks.

 

[joebruin77]

Is it possible that either a door or the trunk was accidentally left open? I was at a supercharger once. The guy next to me walked away from his car assuming it would lock. He was surprised to find his car unlocked when he came back. I asked him if his trunk was open. Sure enough, the trunk latch had not fully engaged, so as a result the car did not lock.

 

[NedH]

Kind of off topic, but I should point out air wedges (where they put a bag into the door frame gap and inflate it to create a gap) and slimjims (where they slide a thin piece of metal to unlatch the lock) existed well before frameless windows, so having or not having it doesn't really mean much.

As for OP, I believe like others say either the keys were in range, or the perp used a signal booster (a common attack). I personally turn off Bluetooth regularly, so I avoid this problem. If you have a key fob you can buy a faraday bag to put them in to prevent this also.

Why would a faraday bag do any good for a key fob? A key fob doesn't generate RF until you press the buttons on it. So having it sit in a faraday bag until you are ready to use it is silly and useless.

 

[stopcrazypp]

Why would a faraday bag do any good for a key fob? A key fob doesn't generate RF until you press the buttons on it. So having it sit in a faraday bag until you are ready to use it is silly and useless.

I presume everyone is using the walk up unlock function, are you saying you press the unlock button on the fob every time you walk up to the car?

Obviously if your keyfob is the type where you have to press a button every time, what I say doesn't apply, but I think most modern cars nowadays offer similar functionality of not needing that button press.

 

[Gasaraki]

I use the PIN to Drive function and glovebox PIN lock. You never know if a zero day flaw appears. Anything can happen with software.