Southwark drivers are being urged to “protect their vehicles like they would their home”, after 159 keyless car thefts took place in the borough last year.
Thieves use key-programming tools to download the car’s electronic information, which can be used to create duplicate keys.
The vehicles are then stripped for parts, which can be sold as far afield as Africa.
On Tuesday, police launched “Operation Endeavour” in an attempt to crack down on this sort of crime. They will be setting up checkpoints across London
They also urged people to park in well-lit areas and install tracking devices and steering wheel-locks.