Is car crime on the rise in the UK? This article looks at the latest car crime statistics to find out the current car crime rates.

Keyless Car Theft Crime Rise

On average, claims for vehicle thefts are increasing 5% every year, and this number is rising for keyless car thefts also. While London still holds the number one spot for most stolen cars, Greater Manchester and the West Midlands are second and third. Over 2021 and into 2022, keyless theft is still on the rise, and there are a few safety precautions you can put into place to prevent your car from being stolen. 

Keyless cars work on a different system than traditional cars, and organised criminal gangs can easily target them. The key isn't required to enter the lock to gain access and, in most cases, will only unlock when the key is near the car. Using a 'relay attack', thieves can make the vehicle believe the key is nearby and gain access. Two relay boxes are used, with one being positioned close to the car and the other being positioned closer to where the key could be, creating an extended length for the transmission to travel and allow access into the vehicle.

As many fobs will be in the owner's home, a mere few metres away from the car, this becomes a quick and painless procedure for criminals. With many leading car brands offering new models with keyless entry, such as Audi, BMW, Range Rover, Mercedes and Tesla, this is becoming a more prevalent risk to UK drivers. This has now become over 45% of all vehicle theft claims, and the devices criminals use are updating to match new models.

In light of COVID-19, vehicle prices have also increased, giving even older models more appeal to thieves. Vehicle crime and the number of stolen vehicles has risen by 18% each month due to the pandemic. 

Car owners are being attacked across the country, with the majority of thefts taking place when the keys were left inside the car, so always remember to take them with you. Installing tracking devices isn't an uncommon feature anymore, and the National Police Chiefs Council has advised people to take any precautionary measures they deem suitable. 

Catalytic Converter Car Crime Wave

Beyond car theft being on the rise throughout the UK, with it being up 265% in London alone, there is also the increased risk of catalytic converter car crimes increasing. Organised criminal groups are hacking into these devices on the underside of cars for their expensive metals inside. 

While many motorists are covered by insurance, some people are experiencing their entire cars being written off due to this criminal damage. The insurance claims are rising over £3000 due to these attacks, with areas such as Birmingham, Coventry, Cambridge and London receiving the worst increases in these thefts. 

The device is located (in most cases) toward the exhaust pipe, resulting in the entire section being cut out by an angle grinder and leaving a broken car behind. 

The thieves involved have little regard for your vehicle, so they will cause as much damage in as little time to get the catalytic converter removed. In the amount of time to remove one, which can take up to mere seconds, thieves can sell the precious metals inside for £500 upward. 

If you are found to be driving without a catalytic converter attached to your car due to theft, you can also be fined up to £1000, as your vehicle will produce greater amounts of toxic pollution than normal.

While many luxury vehicles and hybrid cars are at risk of catalytic converter theft, it's been revealed that many older cars are also at risk. Due to the advances in technology and vehicles using less of these precious materials in the devices, the older models with higher quantities are more attractive to criminals.

Where has seen the biggest rise in car theft? 

Many areas across the UK are experiencing rises in car thefts; the National Statistics show the top ten being:

All of these statistics are increasing compared to the previous year, causing new research to be done into how we can stop this. While there are different circumstances that drivers are reporting their cars stolen, the average insurance claim as a result of this falls between £5000 to £20,000. 'Theft from' claims, where the driver reports that something has been stolen from the vehicle, not the car itself, can contain catalytic converters, personal belongings, and anything else of value. This has also seen a significant rise over the last five years, especially in hybrid vehicles and luxury brands. 

The smaller, lower-price options are the vehicle models and brands most likely to be targeted by thieves. They do not typically have the same sophisticated security systems in place as more expensive models. 

Of course, the best selling models and popular cars across the UK will also be the ones that are stolen from the most, as there are higher numbers of them around. Understanding the crime rates in your area and choosing the best places to park are among some of the smartest decisions you can make.

Why stolen cars are big business in the UK

There are very few other scenarios as heartbreaking as having your car stolen, and you can be left feeling incredibly vulnerable. Over 300 vehicles are reported stolen every day across England and Wales, and this number only keeps increasing. 

If you are concerned about vehicle security get in touch today. Our security experts offer ghost immobiliser fitting and other vehicle security systems for customers throughout Wirral and Liverpool.

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