Massive Rise In Vehicle Thefts Over Last 3 Years
Friday, 24. April 2020
The number of vehicles stolen in England and Wales rose by more than one-fifth (21%) between 2016 and 2019, according to a freedom of information request by AX.
Responses obtained from police forces across England and Wales found much of that increase occurred between 2016/2017 and 2017/2018, with a ride of 14.1%.
The report follows research by Verizon Connect earlier this year, which found the average fleet loses around £16,000 per year as a result of vehicle or equipment theft.
Neil Thomas, director of investigative services at the provider of intelligent vehicle protection and management technologies and a former detective inspector, said: “While the lockdown may temporally reduce some types of car theft, criminals are using increasingly intelligent ways to steal vehicles and continue to find success.
“The combination of organised crime getting smarter and ability to make quick returns has drastically increased pressure on police forces to control the theft of motor vehicles.
“Car thieves are opportunists and have no respect for property and will remain determined to carry on illegal activity despite the current restrictions on movement across the UK. I have even seen recent reports of vehicles belonging to key workers being stolen.
“During this period of lockdown, it’s even more important that car owners remain vigilant and do what they can to keep their car safe while they’re using them less frequently, if at all.”
Of the 17 police forces that responded, Nottinghamshire and Staffordshire Police saw the largest increases, with Nottinghamshire Police reporting an overall rise of 60%.
Hertfordshire, Surrey, West Midlands and Essex Police each saw overall surges of more than 40%.
However, some forces have seen a decrease in motor vehicle thefts, including Merseyside Police and Avon and Somerset Constabulary. Humberside Police reported the largest drop, with a decrease of 36%. By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News
