Car thefts up 29% in the last year as experts warn cost of living crisis could put your motor at higher threat – these are the 10 models most commonly stolen in 2022
- AA says more people could turn to car crime in 2023 during cost of living crisis
- Ford Fiesta thefts rose by 53% year-on-year – we reveal the 10 most stolen cars
- Tracker said the recent short supply of vehicle parts is making mainstream cars more vulnerable to thieves
Car theft rose by 29 per cent between September 2021 and the same month in 2022, according to new figures from by the Office for National Statistics (ONS),
With motor crime on the rise, the AA has warned that cases could increase this year as the cost of living crunch intensifies and more people are tempted to turn to crime to make money.
This is Money earlier this month revealed which 10 cars were most often stolen last year, with one model seeing a 53 per cent rise in thefts.
Security experts warned that a shortage of vehicle parts is making mainstream cars more tempting for professional thieves.
Car theft warning for drivers: ONS data shows that there was a 29% rise in stolen vehicles in the 12 months from September 2021 to 2022, and the AA says this figure could rise in 2023
The ONS’s latest statistics, published this week, show that just over 72,000 vehicles of all types were reported stolen in the 12-month period to September 2022.
The Government body also pointed to a 14 per cent rise in vehicle crime of all types – including theft of items from inside cars and vans – with 391,613 cases over the course of last year.
The AA says older cars are still being targeted by thieves using ‘smash and grab’ techniques. Modern vehicles are more commonly stolen by seasoned professional gangs using keyless technology to steal cars parked on the owners’ driveways.
Reacting to the report, the motoring group said: ‘As the cost of living crisis deepens, more people are tempted into criminal activities to make ends meet with car crime near the top of illegal activity.’
It added that while theft from vehicles tends to be opportunistic, the theft of vehicles are commonly planned attacks.
The latter are often shipped abroad, cut up for parts or sold to order on the black market, the AA says.
The ONS figures come just days after This is Money exclusively revealed that the Ford Fiesta was the most stolen car model in 2022, with thefts increasing 53 per cent on the previous year.
While it isn’t a shock to see the Fiesta at the top of the theft standings due to it being the most-owned car in Britain – of which there are over 1.5 million currently registered – the year-on-year rise in thefts is a major cause of concern.
Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) figures show 5,979 Fiestas were reported stolen last year, compared to 3,909 in 2021. It means a criminal made off with one every 88 minutes on average.
Is your car among the 10 most commonly stolen models? The figures have been provided by the DVLA following a Freedom of Information request
Experts have warned Fiestas could be at even greater risk in the future.
On 26 October last year, the US car company made the shock announcement that it will cease making Fiestas in June 2023 as it looks to replace the immensely popular model with an all-new electric vehicle.
The confirmation saw the value of second-hand Fiestas last year rise almost instantly as owners looked to cash-in on the news.
But vehicle security experts also warned that Ford’s decision to cease manufacturing could ultimately spark an increase in demand for second-hand parts and therefore a rise in thefts.
Fiesta owners were warned to be ‘on their guard’ as their cars could become a hot target for thieves in the coming months and years, which appears to have been the case, the latest figures suggest.
The Ford Fiesta was the most stolen car by volume in Britain last year. It’s the most common model on the road, but data shows thefts rose year-on-year by a staggering 53%
Gus Park, managing director of AA Insurance Services, said: ‘Vehicle theft is rising very steeply, and we are worried that more cars will be taken this year as gangs continue to attack innocent drivers in by taking their prized possessions.
‘There are many steps people can take to protect their car and there are many security measures and products to meet every budget.
‘For example, using a crook lock makes a massive difference, as it will often cause the thief to move on to the next easier target rather than taking the time and trouble to break into the car and remove it.
‘If you have a car with keyless entry, putting the spare key to sleep when not in use, de-activating the keyless entry or putting your key in a Faraday pouch can make a big difference in keeping relay theft at bay.’
Car security expert: ‘Short supply of vehicle parts has widened the car thief’s net’
Seeing Ford’s hugely popular Fiesta at the top of the 2022 vehicle theft charts does not come as much of a surprise, given the number of examples of the road – but the car second in the list of most-stolen motors is far less common.
In second place is the Range Rover, as criminals continue to target the high-value SUVs.
In fact, there was a 47 per cent rise in the number of expensive Range Rovers unlawfully taken from their rightful owners in 2022 compared to 2021, while Land Rover Discovery thefts also rose by more than half.
Security experts at car theft experts Tracker have also revealed that premium SUV models were the most common cars it helped owners locate following a theft via its hi-tech tracking systems installed inside customer cars.
The aftermarket systems allow Tracker to identify the location of a vehicle after it has been pinched. They then work with police to locate and retrieve these motors.
However, Tracker’s data is skewed by the fact that most of its customers own high-value cars.
The AA has warned that cases could increase this year as the cost of living crunch intensifies and more people are tempted to turn to crime to make money
The Range Rover is the second most stolen car in 2022, with 5,533 instances reported by police to the DVLA. Tracker says it was the vehicle it most commonly recovered for customers after their valuable SUVs had been pinched from their property last year
Tracker’s head of police liaison, Clive Wain, said the data points to a rise in ‘relay attack’ thefts of cars with keyless systems. He adds that mainstream models are becoming increasingly targeted due to the short supply of parts since the pandemic
While Land Rover models were the five most-recovered cars, according to its records for last year, it says hybrid vehicles are also becoming ‘rich pickings’ for criminals.
The Lexus RX 450h entered Tracker’s top ten most stolen and recovered league table, which is the first time a Lexus vehicle has ever appeared in its annual review of stolen and recovered vehicles.
‘A sharp rise in thefts of the Lexus RX450h in the second half of the year indicates it’s likely to remain a target for thieves,’ it said.
However, Clive Wain, head of police liaison at Tracker, said he is also seeing a rise in the number of mainstream cars being stolen, which he has linked to supply issues within the new car market over the last two years.
‘Our 2022 data highlights that it’s not just premium and nearly new cars being targeted by thieves,’ Clive tells us.
‘An ongoing lack of parts for new car manufacturing – primarily microchips – has boosted demand in the second-hand car market and, in turn, created an opportunity professional criminals have been quick to take advantage of.’
Clive adds that this shortfall in vehicle parts supply has also hit the service, maintenance and repair sector, creating another lucrative opportunity for professional car thieves.
‘2022 saw a UK boom in ‘chop-shops’ – buildings containing stolen vehicles to be stripped down for their expensive parts to be sold on, on the black market,’ he said.
‘Police uncovered 32 illegal chop shops in 2022 as a result of us locating stolen vehicles belonging to our customers being hidden there.’
Keyless car theft and ‘relay attack’ continues to challenge manufacturers, as Tracker’s latest data confirms.
The level of vehicle theft carried out through this method has significantly increased over the years.
In 2017, 80 per cent of all vehicles stolen and recovered were stolen without using the owner’s keys.
In 2022, that proportion increased to 93 per cent.