Drivers warned of the most common hotspots and vehicle brands for car theft - are you at risk?
New data has identified the most popular areas for car theft
GETTY
Motorists are being warned of the UK’s car theft hotspots and which vehicle brands are most likely to get stolen according to police data.
New research has identified which towns and cities across the UK are the most at risk of seeing their cars stolen, as well as which brands and models are popular.
Cleveland, in Yorkshire, had a ratio of 12.67 stolen vehicles for every 1,000 registered cars in 2022, making it the number one car theft hotspot in the UK.
This was followed by London Metropolitan with 11.51 thefts per 1,000 cars and South Yorkshire with 10.67 thefts.
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Northumbria also has above 10 thefts per 1,000 vehicles, followed by a big drop in the number of car crimes.
Bedfordshire rounded out the top five with a car theft rate of 6.37 crimes for every 1,000 registered vehicles.
In contrast, the research found that Dyfed-Powys in Wales was the police force area with the lowest ratio of car thefts with just 0.49 per 1,000.
Gloucestershire, Cumbria, Suffolk and Norfolk also had a theft ratio below one.
Tom Banks, motoring expert at Go.Compare, said: “Car theft is always a concern for car owners.
“Although you can take precautions, it’s not an event that can be fully predicted or avoided.
“Knowing which locations bring the biggest risk of theft can help drivers take extra safety measures, especially for those with more coveted cars.
“Ensuring your vehicle is properly covered by your insurance can also help reduce anxiety surrounding car theft.”
For example, a third-party-only car insurance policy will not provide cover if their car is stolen.
Drivers are instead advised to choose a fully comprehensive or third-party, fire and theft insurance policy.
In most instances, fully comprehensive cover is often cheaper than third-party only, with experts urging drivers to take it into consideration when comparing costs.
Tom Banks added: “If you have the misfortune of having your car stolen, you should immediately contact the police to file a report. Remember to ask for the crime reference number, as you’ll need this to begin a claim with your insurer.”
The Ford Fiesta, one of the UK’s most popular cars, was the UK’s most stolen car in both 2019 and 2022, with the vehicle being more likely to be stolen over time, rising to 48 per cent in 2022.
Top 10 car theft hotspots
1. Cleveland - 12.67
2. London Metropolitan - 11.51
3. South Yorkshire - 10.67
4. Northumbria - 10.31
5. Bedfordshire - 6.37
6. West Yorkshire - 6.32
7. West Midlands - 5.14
8. Essex - 4.72
9. Nottinghamshire - 4.41
10. Merseyside - 4.37
The Ford Fiesta was the most stolen car of 2022
FORD
The top 10 most stolen cars in 2022
1. Ford Fiesta
2. Volkswagen Golf
3. Ford Focus
4. Honda (all/unspecified models)
5. Vauxhall Astra
6. Vauxhall Corsa
7. Land Rover Range Rover
8. Range Rover Sport
9. Land Rover Discovery
10. BMW (all/unspecified models)
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