The Most Stolen Cars In The UK
Every eleven minutes, someone drives away in a car that is someone else’s. With car manufacturers creating keyless entry to avoid the old coat-hanger-lock-picking trick, it’s surprising that the numbers are still so startlingly high.
Most of us think of our cars as a way to get from A to B. For car lovers, their vehicle is their pride and joy. A beautiful feat of engineering in a breathtaking shell.
The Stats
However much or little you love your car, no one expects theirs to be gone when they get back from the supermarket.
DVLA figures show that 74,769 were stolen in the UK in 2020, a 33% increase from 2019. The only statistics available right now for 2021 are from January to November 30th. The DVLA reported 43,603 were stolen. From 2020 to 2021, the frequency of thefts have at least dropped from one robbery every seven minutes to one every eleven.
But even with a reduction, the stats aren’t comforting.
The saddest one is that close to three quarters (72%) of stolen vehicles are never returned to their owners. As car lovers here at Plan Insurance, this is distressing.
What Car (Or Brand) Gets The Unwanted Award For The Most Stolen Car
Unsurprisingly the ford fiesta, as the best selling car in Britain for a number of years, it reigns supreme across various models as the most stolen car in Britain. More unexpected is the appearance of the Range Rover Sport, this luxury SUV, is commonly targeted by criminals with the knowledge and skills to gain entry without a keyless fob.
Ford Fiesta Zetec – 418 stolenFord Fiesta Titanium Turbo – 351 stolenRange Rover Sport HSE SDV6 – 315 stolenFord Fiesta Titanium X – 311 stolenFord Fiesta ST-2 Turbo – 300 stolenFord Fiesta ST-3 Turbo – 272 stolenFord Fiesta Titanium – 241 stolenFord Fiesta Zetec Turbo – 204 stolenRange Rover Sport HSE Dynamic SDV6 – 174 stolenBMW 520D M Sport – 131 stolen
What Can People Do?
Double lock your car. It’s the simplest advice, but it’s the best. If an opportunist happens to be checking car doors, and yours is locked, they’ll go elsewhere. If you’ve left your car open, you say goodbye to your beloved wheels.
Upgrade your security. This could include fitting a strong alarm, an immobiliser, or a tracking system. A steering wheel lock, as well as preventing theft, can also be a visual deterrent.
Keep your vehicle keys safe and out of sight, especially away from windows and doors.
Buy a signal blocking key pouch to block criminals from interfering with your keyless car systems. Keyless entry fobs have a range of five to six metres, so criminals can be a distance away and still get into your car. Criminals have learned to open keyless cars without the fob using specially-made tools that activate the signal. Signal blocking pouches keep your keys safe from this method.
What Is The Hardest Car To Steal?
Car Website WhatCar conducted a test to see what car was the hardest to steal. The tests revealed that it is significantly faster to steal a keyless car than it is to steal an old-school key and ignition car. Stealing a keyless car took 10 seconds. The security experts conducting the test, however, took two and half minutes to steal a key-and-ignition car.
The only car that wasn’t going anywhere was the Land Rover Discovery, which has ultra-wide-band radio technology. The keyless car transmits over a wide range of frequencies at the same time. This stops ambitious criminals from being able to pick up the signal using radio scanners. Other car manufacturers should take note.
