Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) suggests 72% of stolen vehicles are never returned to their owners, while a separate FOI by vehicle leasing firm LeaseLoco has revealed the cars that are most popular with thieves.
#3 In the UK, 72% of stolen vehicles are not recovered
Furthermore, only 28% of vehicles are returned to owners, many of which are damaged.
According to Progressive Insurance's report, the US average rate for car theft recovery is 46%, but the rate varies greatly among states. For example, the stolen car recovery rate in Washington was 71%, in Utah was 63%, but only 28% in Alabama. All in all, the chance of finding a stolen car is quite high.
Chop shops are dangerous and provide a thriving market for car thieves. Stolen cars are sold on to these chop shops where they are quickly stripped for parts. Often, these parts are then used to repair a car that's been written off by an insurance company and bought by the chop shop as salvage.
If we find a vehicle that's been reported lost or stolen we move it to a police pound for safekeeping. We treat all lost or stolen vehicles we find as abandoned vehicles and remove them to: protect the vehicle from damage or arson.
Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) suggests 72% of stolen vehicles are never returned to their owners, while a separate FOI by vehicle leasing firm LeaseLoco has revealed the cars that are most popular with thieves.
When a vehicle is stolen the Tracker device emits a unique Very High Frequency signal. This can be picked by the police using the Tracker technology installed in their vehicles to help track stolen vehicles.
DVLA data revealed that the soon-to-be-discontinued Ford Fiesta had been stolen the most in the UK in 2022, at 5,724 times. The Land Rover Range Rover was second with 5,209 stolen, whilst another Ford make in the Ford Focus came third with 2,048 stolen.
The UK's most stolen cars
Once again the Range Rover Sport tops the most stolen cars list in 2021. Tracker says that this is the third consecutive year that it's hit the top spot. 6 of the 10 models in the top 10 were either Range Rover and Land Rover models.
On average, law enforcement typically finds a stolen vehicle within 48 hours of it being reported missing. But the process can also take much, much longer. So be patient as law enforcement searches for your vehicle.
Tulsa Police said there are three main reasons thieves steal a car: to joyride, to sell or scrap it for profit or to commit other crimes.
Typically, luxury vehicles and sports cars rank highest on the “most-stolen” list, but Hyundai and Kia thefts have been on the rise, rivaling pricier models in recent years.
Land Rover Discovery Sport
Land Rover Discovery Sports are hugely popular with families which sadly means crooks are a big fan too, but you needn't worry though because its security has been judged top-notch by Thatcham. The Discovery Sport is great for families.
Of the 180,939 vehicles stolen statewide in 2020, 89.2 percent were successfully recovered, representing 161,464 recovered vehicles.
Ford Kas are the least likely cars to be stolen because they "have no street cred among thieves", an ex-burglar turned security expert has claimed.
A whopping 58,000 vehicles were stolen in 2022
The DVLA data revealed in 2022, 58,082 vehicles were stolen - per day, that's an average of 159 vehicles and 1,117 a week. 2022 saw a large jump of 18%, 9,590 cars when compared to 2021 - the previous year saw a total of 48,492 vehicles stolen.
As a vehicle passes an ANPR camera, its registration number is read and instantly checked against database records of vehicles of interest. Police officers can stop a vehicle, speak to the occupants and, where necessary, make arrests.
Call your local police station
Dial 101 and ask to be put through to your local police. Make sure you have your vehicle's: registration number. make and model.
Examine the area underneath the dashboard. With most car models, you can easily disassemble the glove compartment and panel below the steering wheel. If you come across a loose wire, that's an indication that it connects to an antenna that's been taped on or glued.
Tesla Model S
The Model S is one of the most secure electric cars you can buy in 2022. Its anti-theft features make it a carjacker's nightmare. Tesla owners can use their smartphones to track the whereabouts of their vehicles.
In other words, it measures how likely your car is to get stolen, regardless of the vehicle's sales. As a general rule of thumb, newer vehicles are harder to steal than older cars because of advancements in theft prevention.
Risk of theft: A study from CCC Information Services revealed that silver cars are stolen more often than any other car color, followed by white and black cars.