The “new” Mercedes-Benz in the 2000 remake of Gone in 60 Seconds may have been “impossible” to steal, but in the real world, any car can be stolen with the right kind of technology. Case in point: a pair of car thieves in England actually found a way to steal a Mercedes by using the German automaker’s keyless technology against it. Worse, it pulled off the crime in under 60 seconds. The irony is thick on this one.

CCTV cameras captured the entire scene as two men with relay boxes approach the unsuspecting Merc in a driveway in the English town of Solihull. Using the relay boxes, the thieves were able to detect and amplify the signal from the Mercedes’ remote fob. So even with the fob sitting comfortably inside the house, the amplified signal successfully tricked the car into thinking that the fob was right beside it. The technological trickery works as the car unlocks, allowing the thieves to simply get in, start it up, and drive away.

According to the Derby Telegraph, the stolen Mercedes has yet to be found, an alarming development considering that the crime reportedly happened in September.

In any case, police have said that this kind of tech crime is fast becoming a staple among car boosters, especially with the rise of signal boosters that have proven themselves capable of circumventing the auto industry’s keyless technology. As concerning as this is, there are ways to combat this type of thievery. One is to fight fire with fire and install a tracking system into your car. Another is to go retro and have a steering wheel lock on your car. The latter option isn’t aesthetically pleasing, but it could dissuade car thieves from jacking your car.

Either way, the irony of technology being used against technology isn’t lost on us. That’s the price we have to pay for relying more on computers these days. It may be convenient to do so on certain occasions, but there will always be shortcomings on things that are left out of our control.

Here’s to hoping that the owner of that stolen Mercedes gets his car back. It’s been two months since the theft occurred, so a good deal of faith and optimism is required to see this whole episode through.

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