A vehicle anti-theft method for use in a vehicle having an internal
combustion engine, an ignition, a starter, fuel injectors, a memory,
engine controller, and a real clock time function in the engine
controller, said engine controller being configured to operate the engine
in a plurality of different modes including a theft protection mode,
comprises; a) comparing a lock window definition time with an engine
controller real clock time; b) operating the engine in a theft protection
mode when the real clock time matches the lock window definition time; c)
determining whether the engine is running, and; d) controlling the
operation of the engine.