Your car can be stolen from the driveway while your keys are in the kitchen
You park in the driveway, walk inside, drop your keys on the hall table, and lock up for the night. By morning the car is gone. There is no smashed window, no hot-wiring, no sign of forced entry. Your insurer asks how the thieves got the keys. They didn't. They borrowed the signal.
This is a relay attack, and it is now one of the fastest-growing methods of car theft in Australia. The fix is mechanically simple and costs less than a tank of fuel: a Faraday key fob pouch that blocks the signal from your fob the moment you slip it inside.
This guide explains what a relay attack actually is, why your existing key drawer or biscuit tin is not enough, and which signal blocking pouch is the right choice for the way you live. We stock two pouches built specifically for this job: the premium SLNT Faraday Key Fob Guard and the standard Mission Darkness Faraday Bag for Keyfobs. Both ship from our Sydney warehouse and both will protect your car tonight.
What is a relay attack on a keyless car?
Modern cars with passive keyless entry, the kind where you walk up to the door and it unlocks, are constantly listening for their key fob. The fob is constantly broadcasting a low-power radio signal back. This is what makes keyless entry feel like magic.
It is also the entire vulnerability.
A relay attack uses two cheap signal-amplifying devices that can be ordered online for a few hundred dollars:
- Device A stands close to your house, near a window or front door, and picks up the faint signal coming from your key fob inside.
- Device B stands next to your car and rebroadcasts that signal at full strength.
- The car's computer sees what looks like a fob right next to it, unlocks the doors, and lets the engine start.
The whole process takes 20 to 30 seconds. Two people. No noise. No damage. The car just drives away.
Real-world data from ADAC, UK police, and Canadian theft reports clearly shows a steady rise in relay-based thefts worldwide between 2020 and 2025.
A German Automobile Club test of 237 keyless model variants found 230 of them could be unlocked and started using a relay device. That is essentially every keyless car on the market.
Is keyless car theft really a problem in Australia?
For years the answer was "not really." It is now.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics estimated 55,000 households experienced motor vehicle theft in 2022 to 2023, and 59 per cent of those thefts happened at the victim's home. Victoria recorded a 47 per cent jump in motor vehicle thefts in the year to early 2025, the highest level since 2002. Victoria Police have estimated that 20 per cent of stolen cars in the state are now taken using electronic key-signal hijacking technology.
Holden Commodores from 2013 to 2017, several Toyotas, Subarus, Hyundais and Kias have all been flagged as high-risk targets. The pattern is consistent across NSW, VIC, QLD and WA, and it is concentrated in suburban driveways exactly like yours.
If you drive a car with push-button start or proximity unlock, you are in scope.
What a Faraday key fob pouch actually does
A Faraday pouch is a small bag lined with a conductive metallic mesh. When you seal your fob inside it, the mesh forms a Faraday cage: a closed conductive shell that reflects and absorbs incoming and outgoing radio waves. The fob is still on, but it cannot be heard and it cannot hear the car. Both devices in a relay attack hit a wall.
The technology is over 180 years old. The execution is what matters.
Cheap pouches from marketplace sellers often use thin, single-layer fabric that degrades quickly, has obvious gaps near the seam, or only blocks part of the relevant frequency range. They look the part. They do not always work. The two pouches we recommend are tested against MIL-STD-188-125-2 (military electromagnetic shielding standard) or use the same Multishield material rated to IEEE 299-2006 across 1 to 40 GHz, with attenuation in excess of 100,000 to 1.
In plain English: nothing gets in, nothing gets out.
SLNT vs Mission Darkness: which Faraday key fob pouch is right for you?
Trust Panda stocks both because they solve the same problem at different price points and for different users. Here is how they compare.
| Feature | SLNT Faraday Key Fob Guard | Mission Darkness Faraday Key Fob Bag |
|---|---|---|
| Tier | Premium | Standard |
| Shielding material | Patented Silent Pocket Multishield | TitanRF Faraday Fabric |
| Shielding standard | MIL-STD-188-125-2, IEEE 299-2006 | MIL-STD-188-125-2 (60 dB+ attenuation) |
| Closure | Fold-and-snap (XS) or snap (S) | Magnetic flap with double-paneled shielding |
| Exterior | 500D weatherproof polyester | Water-resistant nylon |
| Best for | Daily users who want a slim, premium pouch that looks like a wallet accessory | Households wanting a no-fuss, proven pouch for the entry hall or bedside |
| Australian shipping | Yes, ships from Sydney | Yes, ships from Sydney |
When to choose the SLNT Faraday Key Fob Guard
Pick the SLNT Faraday Key Fob Guard if your fob lives in a pocket, handbag or backpack and you want a pouch that disappears into daily life. The patented Silent Pocket construction is slimmer than most competitors, the closure is faster to open and close one-handed, and the build quality is genuinely premium. It is the pouch we use ourselves. Available in extra small (single fob, 13 x 10.5 cm) and small (key plus a couple of cards). Compatible with every Australian-market keyless car we have tested.
If you want to see SLNT's full range of signal blocking products, including phone sleeves, totes and travel bags, browse the complete SLNT collection.
When to choose the Mission Darkness Faraday Key Fob Bag
Pick the Mission Darkness Faraday Bag for Keyfobs if you want a more affordable pouch that lives by the front door and stays there. The double-layered TitanRF lining is the same material used by digital forensics teams and law enforcement to isolate evidence devices. The magnetic flap closes positively, even one-handed in the dark, which matters at 11 PM when you walk in the door. It is bulkier than the SLNT but tougher, and the price makes it easy to buy two: one for the primary fob, one for the spare.
For Mission Darkness's broader range, including phone bags, drybag totes and tactical duffels, browse the full Mission Darkness collection.
Both pouches will stop a relay attack tonight. Choose based on how you carry, not on whether one works "better" than the other against the threat.
How to actually use a Faraday key fob pouch
A pouch only works if you use it correctly. Three rules:
Seal the pouch fully. A half-closed flap leaks signal. Both pouches we sell have positive closures, but if you fold the SLNT and skip the snap, or leave the Mission Darkness flap open against a wall, the cage is broken.
Put both keys in pouches. Most households have a primary fob and a spare. Thieves do not care which one they relay. Treat the spare like the primary.
Place the pouch away from external walls and windows. Relay range is improving every year. The signal does not need to reach the road, but the further your pouched key sits from the front of the house, the safer you are. A drawer in the kitchen or a hallway away from the front door is ideal.
You can test your own setup in 30 seconds. Put your key in the pouch, seal it, walk up to your locked car with the fob in hand. If the car does not unlock and the engine will not start with the pouch closed, the cage is working. Open the pouch and try again. The car should respond instantly.
What a Faraday pouch is not
It is worth being precise. A Faraday key fob pouch protects against signal-based attacks. It does not protect against:
- Old-fashioned theft. If a burglar enters your home and finds the pouch, they can open it.
- Key cloning at a workshop. If you hand your key to someone who programs a duplicate, no pouch can help.
- Key reprogramming attacks via the OBD port. A separate, growing threat in Australia where thieves break into the car and pair a new fob through the diagnostic port. Use a steering wheel lock and an OBD port lock alongside the pouch.
Layered security wins. A pouch shuts down the relay attack vector entirely, which is the single largest electronic theft method on the market. Combine it with garage parking, an OBD lock and an aftermarket immobiliser, and you are out of the easy-target pool. If you also want to protect your phone from tracking and remote access while travelling or commuting, an SLNT Phone Faraday Sleeve or SLNT Utility Faraday Bag XL extends the same shielding to your other devices.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a Faraday bag for my car keys?
If your car has keyless entry or push-button start, yes. Relay theft is now a routine method in Australian capital cities and outer suburbs. The pouch is cheap insurance against a 30-second crime.
Do Faraday boxes work for car keys?
Yes, when properly built and used. The pouches and boxes we stock are tested to MIL-STD shielding standards and block the relevant 315 MHz, 433 MHz, 868 MHz and Bluetooth/UWB frequencies your fob uses. Cheap unbranded boxes from marketplace sellers are inconsistent, so test before relying on them.
Will a biscuit tin or microwave work instead?
A microwave is not a reliable Faraday cage and we do not recommend storing keys inside one. Some metal tins partially block signal, but the seal is rarely complete and performance varies wildly between tins. A purpose-built signal blocking pouch is the only method we trust.
Does a Faraday pouch damage the key fob battery?
No. The fob is still transmitting and receiving inside the pouch, but the signal is contained. Battery drain is the same as if the key were sitting on a table.
Can I keep my driver's licence or credit cards in the pouch?
Yes. The same Faraday shielding that blocks key-fob signal also blocks RFID skimming on contactless cards and passports. The SLNT small and Mission Darkness pouches are big enough to hold a couple of cards alongside the key.
Where should I store my Faraday pouch overnight?
Away from external walls, windows and front doors. A central drawer or upstairs bedside table is ideal. The closer the pouched key sits to the road, the easier it is for an attacker to brute-force the signal even through the cage.
What's the best Faraday key fob pouch in Australia?
For most users, the SLNT Faraday Key Fob Guard is the best balance of build quality, shielding performance and daily usability. The Mission Darkness Key Fob Bag is the best value option and equally effective at home. Both are stocked and shipped from our Sydney warehouse with full manufacturer warranty.
The bottom line
Keyless car theft is no longer a European headline. It is an Australian driveway problem, growing at double-digit rates in our biggest states. The threat is electronic, the fix is electronic, and the fix costs roughly the same as a service station fill-up.
A genuine Faraday key fob pouch from a tested manufacturer takes the relay attack vector off the table completely. Whether you want the slimline premium feel of the SLNT or the rugged value of the Mission Darkness, both ship from Sydney, both arrive within 1 to 3 business days in metro areas, and both will be working from the moment you drop your keys inside.
Shop the SLNT Faraday Key Fob Guard →
Shop the Mission Darkness Faraday Bag for Keyfobs →
Trust Panda is Australia's trusted destination for hardware-based cybersecurity. We are an official reseller of SLNT and Mission Darkness, with stock held locally and full manufacturer warranty on every product.
