As British car thieves use GPS jammers to escape, it's only a matter of time before American scammers - and, ominously, terrorists - catch on.

Jammers emit low-power signals, creating signal noise and tricking GPS receivers into thinking the satellite is unavailable. They can be used to confuse police and avoid tolls, and some pranksters have also used them to annoy unsuspecting iPhone users.

But the real threat is unknown. Criminals can use them to hide their tracks from law…

Service station thieves use car key jammer

Police have warned that thieves are using radio signal jammers to steal from cars parked at motorway service stations.

Thames Valley Police said the transmitters could be used to "interrupt" the signal for the remote key, thereby preventing the vehicle from being locked properly.

Police said 14 truck, van and car thefts had been reported recently, but there were "no obvious signs of…