Vehicle theft in England and Wales has continued to rise dramatically, according to figures from a Freedom of Information request conducted by AX. While the Covid-19 lockdown may yet reduce vehicle thefts in 2020, responses obtained from police forces across England and Wales suggest theft of motor vehicles rose by a significant 21% between 2016 and 2019, following analysis by the provider of intelligent vehicle protection and management technologies.
Much of that increase occurred between financial years 2016/17 and 2017/18, with figures rising by 14.1%, although the figures continued to rise by a further 6.1% between years 2017/18 and 2018/19.
Of the Police forces that responded, Nottinghamshire and Staffordshire Police saw the largest increases, with Nottinghamshire Police reporting an overall rise of some 60%.
Hertfordshire, Surrey, West Midlands and Essex Police also saw well-above average increases, with each seeing overall surges of more than 40%.
At the other end of the scale, some forces have seen a decrease in motor vehicle thefts, including Merseyside Police and Avon and Somerset Constabulary. Wiltshire reported the largest drop with a remarkable decrease of 79%, followed by Humberside with a 36% drop in reported thefts.
However, the overall figures are indicative of vehicle theft continuing to be a rising problem, with thieves using ever more complex methods to steal vehicles.
|
Biggest increases in stolen vehicles* | ||
|
Police Force |
Total Reported Stolen Vehicles |
% Change since 16/17 |
|
2018/19 |
16/17-18/19 | |
|
Nottinghamshire |
1492 |
59.7% |
|
Staffordshire |
1183 |
53.8% |
|
Hertfordshire |
1064 |
50.0% |
|
West Midlands |
7883 |
44.6% |
|
Surrey |
1069 |
44.1% |
|
Biggest decreases in reported stolen vehicles* | |||
|
Police Force |
Total Reported Stolen Vehicles |
% Change since 16/17 | |
| 2018/19 | 16/17-18/19 | ||
|
Wiltshire |
156 |
-78.7% | |
|
Humberside |
818 |
-35.8% | |
|
Merseyside |
3456 |
-26.9% | |
|
Avon and Somerset |
2384 |
-3.5% |
With the UK on lockdown and many vehicles now indefinitely stuck on the driveway, we’ve come up with fives suggested ways to keep cars as secure as possible.
Tips For Keeping Your Car Safe off The Road
1. Keep your keys, and yourself, safe and secureMost thieves need the keys to steal your vehicle, so keep them away from the front door to prevent criminals from ‘fishing’ them through your letter box. The safety of everyone in your home is much more important though, so avoid taking the keys upstairs with you as it could put families at risk. |
2. Double check electronic lockingAlways manually check your vehicle is locked before walking away. Electronic devices that jam the signal from your key fob to prevent your car locking are increasingly common among car thieves. |
3. Consider turning off keyless technologyMany systems can be temporarily switched off to prevent electronic compromise and keyless theft and you can consult your local dealer to help do this. You may also wish to place your keys into a signal blocking Faraday pouch. |
4. Review your home securityConsider installing motion detecting CCTV at your home to deter thieves. Virtual ‘neighbourhood watch’ schemes via social media or WhatsApp can also help alert each other of suspicious activity in the local area. |
5. Don’t despairIf the worst does happen, there are tracking solutions and vehicle recovery services available to help you locate and recover your vehicle, which could save you from an expensive insurance claim and an increased premium at renewal. |
In summary, while the lockdown may temporally reduce some types of car theft, criminals are using increasingly intelligent ways to steal vehicles and continue to find success. The combination of organised crime getting smarter and ability to make quick returns has drastically increased pressure on police forces to control the theft of motor vehicles.
