A recent survey has found that one in five UK car owners have had their vehicle broken into, with radios the most commonly stolen item.
831,000 incidents of vehicle related crime were reported in Britain last year. The leasing company UK Carline asked 1,000 motorists affected by car thieves last year to identify the most commonly stolen item from their vehicle.
According to respondents, radios were the most stolen item, with 31 per cent saying they’ve had one taken. Radios are followed by shopping bags, (mentioned by 17 per cent of respondents) and sat-navs (13 per cent).
Completing the top ten list of items most sought by thieves is mobile phones in fourth, followed by clothing, sunglasses, vehicle badges, wallets, wheels and number plates.
Despite recent high-profile police campaigns aiming to discourage motorists from keeping valuables in their car, the survey found that 40 per cent of people still do, believing that they’re safe if they aren’t on display.
The survey also revealed some rather unexpected items which had been stolen from cars by thieves, including air fresheners, sweets and a snooker cue. In one particularly strange case, a car owner from Sheffield had her vehicles’ windows smashed and just one trainer taken.
The general manager at UK Carline, Jonathan Nolan, said: “An item that you might not consider risky to leave on display may be highly desirable to a thief that has spotted an opportunity, so it’s best to err on the side of caution and leave the bare minimum on display in your car.
“With thieves adapting their skills to compete with new car technologies, it’s clear that owners need to be more vigilant and careful with their belongings than ever before. It’s advisable to ensure your vehicle has the latest security features fitted, including an alarm and immobiliser, to make it harder for criminals to target your vehicle.”
