Drivers warned of dramatic rise in car thefts and number of illegal 'chop shops'

Essex is the chop shop epicentre in the UK thanks to its key ports, providing the county and businesses with international trade.

This was followed closely by Greater London and Kent, both of which have accessible transport links, and the West Midlands.

The locations of the chop shops were uncovered using Tracker’s covert technology, allowing police to find and recover the vehicles.

A “significant” number of vehicles with the Tracker technology installed were recovered, as well as hundreds of other vehicles and millions of pounds worth of equipment.

Clive Wain, head of police liaison at Tracker, highlighted the impact of the cost of living crisis, saying it had further exacerbated the rise in illegal activities.

He said: “The alarming increase in the number of chop shops largely reflects a rise in demand for good quality used parts in recent years, partly due to continued new part supply chain delays.

“In addition, with the production of the Ford Fiesta finishing in July 2023 - the most-owned car in Britain with over 1.5 million licenced models on our roads and the UK’s 10th most popular car - a massive second-hand parts market has been created because new parts for these vehicles are also no longer being produced.

“Criminals have been quick to jump on this opportunity, lucratively selling on stolen Ford Fiesta parts on the black-market.”

Thieves will often look to ship stolen cars or parts overseas, with many selling to the Middle East and Africa, with Clive Wain saying they can be sold for two or three times more than they would cost in the UK.

One of the best ways drivers can avoid having their vehicle stolen is to protect their key fob, especially if their vehicle has keyless entry.

Criminals can use a relay device to bounce the signal from the key fob to the car, allowing them to enter, with drivers urged to keep the fob away from doors and windows and potentially even invest in a Faraday pouch to minimise the risk.

Clive Wain added: “We work closely with the police daily to find and shut down illegal chop shops, but regrettably, these ‘businesses’ are so profitable and operations so slick that as soon as one is closed, another pops up to replace it.

“However, by acting together, the police, Tracker and our community of customers, we can continue to disrupt organised criminal gangs and bring them to justice.”

South Yorkshire Police recently uncovered a suspected chop shop in Doncaster, recovering several high-end BMWs which could have been stripped for parts.

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Photos show that at least 10 car doors were stacked at the side of the room, in addition to over 40 cannabis plants.