WATCH: Brazen thief tries to steal car using keyless device in Waterlooville during early hours

Two people were seen illicitly operating in Cavendish Drive, Waterlooville, on February 12. Waterlooville Police released footage on Facebook of one of the men carrying a device and circling a vehicle between 3.10am and 3.20am.

The force added that they are tracking down the men following their "suspicious" behaviour. "We want to share with you some footage of a suspected keyless car theft attempt and offer some crime prevention advice on how to protect yourself against this type of crime," police said. "We received the attached video which may show one of the men trying to capture signals from keyless cars in order to steal them.

"Cars with keyless entry unlock automatically when the key comes within a short distance of the car. This can be from inside a pocket or bag. If you have to push a button on your car key to open your car, you don't have keyless entry. Keyless car theft or 'relay theft' is when a device is used to fool the car into thinking the key is close by. This unlocks the car and starts the ignition. Thieves only need to be within a few metres of your car key to capture the signal, even if it’s inside your home. This means that even if your car and home are secure, thieves can still unlock, start and steal your car."

Police advise residents to keep their keyless car far away from the vehicle, even when inside a property. They added that these keys should be put in a screened or signal-blocking pouch, such as a Faraday Bag. People should also turn off wireless signals on a key fob when it is not being used, and to get keys reprogrammed if you buy a second hand car. Further advice can be found online.

Anyone with information about the attempted theft is advised to call 101, quoting the reference number 44240063116. Information can also be submitted online via the police website. People can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online.