Ford perimeter plus alarm is crying wolves! Someone got into the car

[Pronichkin]

I have a 2021 GT Convertible with Enhanced security package (standard on convertibles) and the add-on Ford perimeter plus alarm.

So far, I'm happy with the car, except the security aspect of it.

Almost daily, once I lock the car and walk away, the alarm goes off with absolutely no reason. I have no idea what causes it, but I have no other choice than immediately silencing it by pressing the "lock" button on the key fob. Yes, I get that it's sensitive. But probably way too sensitive. This happens even when the car is parked in the garage, so there's 100% no external impact.

But even that would be tolerable, if all this stuff provided some real security benefit. Apparently, it does none.

Last week we went to a small rural town in our state and stayed for a night. The car was parked at hotel parking. ($10 per night, but you assume all risk, blah-blah-blah.) In the morning we discovered that all our stuff inside the car was moved around. Someone relocated everything we had inside: clothes, chargers, paper napkins, water bottle, etc. The glove box was left open. Only a couple of things went missing, and not of a huge value. (Wife's sunglasses and binocular.) But how?

There was no alarm that nigh. From the outside, the car looked absolutely normal. There are no scratches or cracks as far as we can see. Both our key fobs were with us all time. They still work, i.e. lock and unlock the car. Everything is perfectly functional.

Except someone figured out how to seamlessly get into the cur and not even trigger the alarm. Heck, they even had no problem opening the central console. It is supposed to be locking with Enhanced security package, and per my testing it does indeed lock!

So, apparently all the security bells and whistles are shit. Don't leave any valuables in the car!

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[Stangnut]

Sounds like they "stole" your key fob's code. All they have to do is be near by when you lock it and they can pick up the signal. Then they come back later and unlock it just like they had the fob themselves.

 

[ORRadtech]

How far from the car was your room? Are you always conscious of the people around you when you're near the car?
The fobs for cars with keyless entry are extremely susceptible to being cloned or just having the signal hijacked.
If someone with a code repeater saw you leave your car and enter a room all they had to do was stand outside your room door, hijack the fob signal and transmit it to someone standing by your car. With the right equipment it's just that easy.
I can tell you from experience that my '18 convertible will alarm if a door is opened with the emergency key or it's jacked off the ground.

 

[ORRadtech]

Consider looking into a "Faraday" bag. Especially when traveling.

 

[ctandc72]

I understand how key fobs are cloned. But my question is pretty simple....Why would someone go to all that trouble to clone your key fob - then just rifle through your stuff? Why not just steal the car?

How far from your car where you?

Reason I ask - is it possible, even remotely (pun intended) - that you or your wife might have inadvertently unlocked the car with the fob while going to your room or in your room?

 

[Balr14]

I also have an '18 convertible and I have to leave my car unlocked when I take the dog with me and leave her in it while I run into a store. If I lock the car she sets the alarm off just by moving around... she weighs 8lbs.

 

[FinitePrimus]

Reason I ask - is it possible, even remotely (pun intended) - that you or your wife might have inadvertently unlocked the car with the fob while going to your room or in your room?

To be honest, this seems more likely. Alarm not going off is one thing, but opening a locked vehicle without any sign of entry (scratches, dents, bent window frame) would take some additional time and skill... and the individuals who would go to that level wouldn't have left with just sunglasses and binoculars.

 

[ORRadtech]

I understand how key fobs are cloned. But my question is pretty simple....Why would someone go to all that trouble to clone your key fob - then just rifle through your stuff? Why not just steal the car?

How far from your car where you?

Reason I ask - is it possible, even remotely (pun intended) - that you or your wife might have inadvertently unlocked the car with the fob while going to your room or in your room?

Because stealing a car is likely to provoke more interest from the police?
Lots of cars are broken into and searched for small, easy to sell items. Tons of people leave guns and electronics in cars to name a couple of things. I think proof of that is in the things that were stolen, sunglasses (designer?) and binoculars- small, easy to sell/pawn and nearly impossible to track.

 

[Cobra Jet]

I understand how key fobs are cloned. But my question is pretty simple....Why would someone go to all that trouble to clone your key fob - then just rifle through your stuff? Why not just steal the car?

How far from your car where you?

Reason I ask - is it possible, even remotely (pun intended) - that you or your wife might have inadvertently unlocked the car with the fob while going to your room or in your room?

They didn't steal the car because they're not that sophisticated... it's a motel parking lot... they're looking for items that will net them quick cash or trade for a fix.

 

[ORRadtech]

To be honest, this seems more likely. Alarm not going off is one thing, but opening a locked vehicle without any sign of entry (scratches, dents, bent window frame) would take some additional time and skill... and the individuals who would go to that level wouldn't have left with just sunglasses and binoculars.

It doesn't take a lot of skill or time, just a couple of small pieces of electronics. Do a little research on it, it's kinda scary how easy and quick it can be.
And, if they were looking for guns or electronics/ laptops but only find binoculars and sunglasses, well, then it's not wasted effort. Heck, I've got sunglasses that set me back $200+ and decent binoculars can be expensive too.

 

[Bikeman315]

Are you 100% sure the two systems are compatible. Years ago you couldn’t use the add on system if you already had the factory system.

 

[NoVaGT]

You didn't lock the car.

 

[Pronichkin]

Sounds like they "stole" your key fob's code. All they have to do is be near by when you lock it and they can pick up the signal. Then they come back later and unlock it just like they had the fob themselves.

Yes, that's my primary suspicion. I was just not sure how difficult it was. Now I want to learn how to do this, just for fun.

How far from the car was your room? Are you always conscious of the people around you when you're near the car?
The fobs for cars with keyless entry are extremely susceptible to being cloned or just having the signal hijacked.
If someone with a code repeater saw you leave your car and enter a room all they had to do was stand outside your room door, hijack the fob signal and transmit it to someone standing by your car. With the right equipment it's just that easy.
I can tell you from experience that my '18 convertible will alarm if a door is opened with the emergency key or it's jacked off the ground.

Yes, I realized that one can steal the code while you're opening or closing the car. I did not realize that they could do that just by being near the key even when we're not using it. (I often have the key attached to my belt, very visible and easy to pass by.)

Consider looking into a "Faraday" bag. Especially when traveling.

thanks, that sounds like a good idea now.

How far from your car where you?

Reason I ask - is it possible, even remotely (pun intended) - that you or your wife might have inadvertently unlocked the car with the fob while going to your room or in your room?

No, I don't think that's possible. There probably was more than 150 feet from the car to the room.

I also have an '18 convertible and I have to leave my car unlocked when I take the dog with me and leave her in it while I run into a store. If I lock the car she sets the alarm off just by moving around... she weighs 8lbs.

When we stop the car, there's an option (on the dash) to either enable all sensors or outside sensors only. I guess if you select the latter option, it won't be triggered by the dog inside. On the flip side, burglars probably won't want to mess with the dog, so you're covered either way.

Because stealing a car is likely to provoke more interest from the police?
Lots of cars are broken into and searched for small, easy to sell items. Tons of people leave guns and electronics in cars to name a couple of things. I think proof of that is in the things that were stolen, sunglasses (designer?) and binoculars- small, easy to sell/pawn and nearly impossible to track.

Yeah these were Ray Ban glasses—apparently popular among people. Funny thing is, they were with prescription lenses, hence useless for anyone except my wife. Of course the thieves did not check that, given that they probably were in a hurry. And the binocular was a good one, but nothing special. Costed us ~$60 maybe.

Another funny thing is they did not even take our walkie-talkies. They look cool but are actually dirt cheap, we got them for like ~$30. So, apparently whoever was in the car, knows their shit.

Are you 100% sure the two systems are compatible. Years ago you couldn’t use the add on system if you already had the factory system.

Good question! I, of course, have no idea. But it's not an aftermarket thing. Ford sold us that, and dealer installed it, so I assume they're compatible.

You didn't lock the car.

haha, yes, that's another possibility for sure. But I'm almost confident I did. Hard to tell from now!

 

[Cobra Jet]

To be honest, this seems more likely. Alarm not going off is one thing, but opening a locked vehicle without any sign of entry (scratches, dents, bent window frame) would take some additional time and skill... and the individuals who would go to that level wouldn't have left with just sunglasses and binoculars.

Convertibles are too easy...

Take a long, thin item, like a car antenna - slip it between the rear 1/4 glass and the door glass - push further forward and hit the lock/unlock button on the door - BINGO. No scratches or damages to any panel on the car - and car is unlocked.

The door windows on too many convertibles are too flexible allowing anyone to flex it outward enough to allow access between it and the 1/4 weather seal to the interior.

A perimeter alarm won't go off if glass was not broken or if the perimeter isn't been breached within a set parameter to go off. If perimeter will only go off if something passes through by so many inches or feet to the interior from the door (perimeter edge), then the alarm works as designed. If the perimeter is set sloppy and won't go off until there's a breach (half way in), then it's never going to go off IF someone is breaching the car as I outlined above with the antenna/window method.

Everything I've heard about the locking console is - the car has to be locked and it can't be accessed if locked. If the console was accessed, the car was not locked OR someone had a means to unlock it.

 

[NoVaGT]

haha, yes, that's another possibility for sure. But I'm almost confident I did. Hard to tell from now!

No it's not. Occam's razor.

The doors were unlocked.

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