The UK’s Car Theft Hot Spots And How You Can Keep Your Vehicle Safe

In recent years, there has been a drastic increase in the number of car thefts without the use of keys. Shockingly, a staggering 112,174 cars were illegally taken in 2017/18 – that’s 307 vehicles a day! Nobody deserves to have their car stolen from them, let alone that many people in a day. However, there are multiple ways in which you can reduce the chances of your vehicle being taken, be it via GPS car trackers or merely by being more vigilant.

Let’s take a look into where car theft is most prominent, and what you can do to steer to safety.

Car lock

Top 10 Most Targeted Areas (Per 1000 Quotes)

Despite car theft being ripe across all of the UK, like anything, there are some areas in which the issue is much greater. Here we have the top 10 most targeted areas for car theft in the UK.

  • Ilford – IG – 16.1
  • Romford – RM – 15.4
  • Birmingham – B – 13.1
  • Halifax – HX – 10.6
  • Liverpool – L – 9.6
  • Southend on Sea – SS – 9.3
  • Stockport – SK – 8.7
  • Dudley – DY – 8.6
  • London East – E – 8.5
  • Bradford – BD – 8.4

Top 10 Least Targeted Areas (Per 1000 Quotes)

  • Kirkwall – KW – 0.3
  • Outer Hebrides – HS – 0.5
  • Inverness – IV – 0.6
  • Isle of Man – IM – 0.7
  • Galashiels – TD – 0.7
  • Dumfries – DG – 0.8
  • Perth – PH – 0.9
  • Exeter – EX – 1.0
  • Dorchester – DT – 1.0
  • Dundee – DD – 1.2

5 of the above areas are all in Scotland, which would lead us to believe that Scotland is the safest country in the UK in regard to car theft.

Change in Volume of Car Theft Claims from 2014 to 2018

  • West Midlands – Claims went up 214% – 16 car theft claims per 10,000 vehicles
  • North West – Claims went up 110% – 17 car theft claims per 10,000 vehicles
  • North East and Yorkshire – Claims went up 104% – 5 car theft claims per 10,000 vehicles
  • Greater London – Claims went up 61% – 33 car theft claims per 10,000 vehicles
  • East Midlands – Claims went up 60% – 8 car theft claims per 10,000 vehicles
  • East of England – Claims went up 48% – 7 car theft claims per 10,000 vehicles
  • South West – Claims went up 43% – 4 car theft claims per 10,000 vehicles
  • South East – Claims went up 29% – 4 car theft claims per 10,000 vehicles
  • Wales – Claims went up 29% – 4 car theft claims per 10,000 vehicles
  • Northern Ireland – Claims went up 0% – 1 car theft claims per 10,000 vehicles
  • Scotland – Claims went down 23% – 10 car theft claims per 10,000 vehicles
  • All of the UK, (On average) – Claims went up 63% – 11 car theft claims per 10,000 vehicles

If you are aged 40-49, you are more susceptible to having your car stolen, as there are 6.16 car theft claims per 10,000 vehicles. Alternatively, you are less likely to have your car taken if you are aged 17-19, (1.53 car theft claims per 10,000 vehicles). This is because young people tend to have less desirable cars. Therefore, middle-aged people with a larger disposable income have their expensive cars taken instead. Of course, young drivers also tend to have bad habits when it comes to their vehicles so they aren’t entirely safe from car thefts either.

Car lock

How to Improve your Car Safety

Here are a few things you can do to keep your car safe:

Invest in Technology

Buying a GPS car tracker should be the first port of call when it comes to protecting your vehicle. Not only will you be notified if someone enters your car, but you will also be able to see where your car is via real-time tracking.

Keep Your Car Locked

Always double-check that you have locked your car every time you leave it. You should also never leave the vehicle running whilst you are not sat inside it, as it only takes a mere second for someone to enter the car and drive off.

Keep Your Keys Safe

If a criminal gets your car keys, they essentially have your car too. Make sure that you keep your keys out of sight of windows and doors. Instead, keep these in a safe place at all times, ideally close to your personal. If you have an electric key, it is even more important that you keep it out of sight, as these can now easily be copied by tech-savvy criminals.

Park Smart

Always try and park in a well-lit area. This is because thieves aim for cars that cannot be easily seen. Because of this, aim to leave your vehicle on a main road, as opposed to a side street.