Car crime can affect anyone, but past research suggests that it’s not just about how careful you are about keeping your car locked and secure. It’s also about what model you drive and what area you park in.
The most stolen cars in Britain
If you’ve ever wondered if your car is a popular target for thieves, one particular report worth looking into is one made by the stolen vehicle recovery expert Tracker.
The company returned £12.5 million worth of vehicles to their owners last year and has compiled data they’ve gathered to reveal what ten cars fitted with a Tracker device were snatched most frequently on our shores.
Topping the list is the Range Rover Sport, which currently starts at nearly £63,000 but can cost over £80,000 in high-level specifications.
With its line-up of powerful diesel and petrol engines, luxurious interior and vast range of standard gadgets, it’s easy to covet a Range Rover Sport and quite clearly a lot of car thieves do.
The Sport isn’t the only kind of Range Rover that’s popular with Britain’s car thieves. While the BMW X5 was found to be the second most stolen car last year, the Range Rover in the desirable Vogue trim was the third most frequently stolen.
Further down the list, the Range Rover in the Autobiography trim was the ninth most stolen car last year. Range Rovers are reported to be particularly popular in the London area.
In amongst all of these different Range Rovers, the Mercedes C-Class in the C220 diesel-run specification was the fourth most stolen car in the UK last year.
That’s followed by the BMW 3 Series, Mercedes C63 AMG, BMW 5 Series, Audi RS4 and the previously-mentioned Range Rover Autobiography. Rounding-up this particular top ten is the Audi Q7 SUV, which is reported to be particularly popular with thieves in Merseyside.
The car crime hotspots
Analysis published towards the end of last year by The Mirror’s Data Unit looked into which areas in England suffer the most frequent car threats. The top ten list is filled up by different London boroughs.
The worst affected area was found to be the royal borough of Kensington and Chelsea where 773 vehicles were stolen in the first half of 2015, equivalent to one car theft for every 202 people. The second most likely place for car theft was found to be the London borough of Islington, with one theft for every 262 people, and third is Westminster with one theft for every 276 people.
Rounding up the top ten is Barking and Dagenham, Camden, Tower Hamlets, Hammersmith and Fulham, Wandsworth, Redbridge and Havering. At the opposite end of the scale, the market town of Fareham in Hampshire was found to be the place in England that has the least amount of car theft.
So there you have it, if you happen to be a Range Rover Sport owner living in Kensington and Chelsea, then maybe you’re feeling a bit nervous right now.
However, wherever you are or whatever car you drive, you can minimise your chances of getting your nicked if you take precautions. You can learn more about what precautions are worth taking in our tips to avoid car theft guide. You can also check out our guide on what to do if your car is stolen.
