The most stolen car models in Britain have been revealed as thefts rise by 53 per cent compared to last year.
Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) figures show that the car owner who faces the biggest risk of having their vehicle stolen in the UK is a Ford Fiesta.
A total of 5,979 Fiestas were reported stolen last year in comparison to 3,909 in 2021 – meaning one was pinched every 88 minutes on average.
The Fiesta is the most-owned car in Britain with 1.5 million registered on the road, but experts have warned that there could be a higher risk of theft after Ford announced last year that they will stop making them.
The Ford Fiesta is the most commonly stolen car in the UK
Wiki Commons
New figures also suggest thieves are continuing to target high-value motors as Range Rovers places second in order of stolen vehicles by volume last year.
There was a 47 per cent increase in the numbers of Range Rovers taken from their owners in 2022 compared to 2021.
In total, 61,106 stolen cars of all makes and models were reported to the DVLA in 2022 – an increase of 26 per cent compared to previous year.
While Fiestas are the most-commonly owned car in the UK, experts have warned that the modest Ford could become increasingly targeted now that production is due to end.
In October last year, Ford said it will cease production of Fiestas in June 2023 as it looks to replace the model with a new electric vehicle.
British firm Tracker, which provides tracking devices to help locate vehicles if they're stolen, told Fiesta owners to be “on their guard”.
“It is common for any vehicle to become in high demand when supply stops, and the price of parts will slowly start to increase,” Clive Wain, Tracker's head of police liaison told the Daily Mail.
“The end of the Fiesta doesn’t just signal the end of one of the most popular cars in the UK, but an even greater theft risk for those cars that are currently on the road.
Experts warn that more Ford Fiestas are likely to get stolen after production stops in 2023
Gareth Fuller
“Over the last few years, we’ve already seen that a global lack of good quality used vehicles, alongside spare parts shortages, are increasing the desirability of older, lower value cars like the Fiesta.
“Vehicles are often stolen and stripped for their parts in chop shops or stolen to order to be shipped abroad to meet international demand.”
Figures revealed that the third most commonly stolen car last year was Ford's Focus hatchback followed by Volkswagen's.
Fifth in the rankings of stolen cars was the Land Rover Discovery, with 1,920 reported to police and the DVLA in 2022.
