Figures from the Office of National Statistics released (25 July 2024) show that vehicle theft remained stubbornly high with 129,159 vehicles stolen between April 2023 and March 2024, compared to 130,119 for same period in 2022-23.
Meanwhile, there was a significant 12% fall in items being stolen from vehicles with 193,023 crimes recorded for vehicles being broken into. For the same period last year 218,431 people reported that something had been taken from their vehicle.
However, there was a 2% increase in vehicle interference or tampering with a motor vehicle, rising from 52,268 reported incidents to 53,369. Vehicle tampering includes taking parts from a vehicle such as a catalytic convertor.
Gus Park, managing director of AA Insurance Services, said; “Every day more than 500 vehicles are broken into, while 350 are stolen. Despite the year-on-year reduction for these offences, the figures are simply too high.
“Unfortunately, the harsh reality is that every stolen car increases the cost of claims and pushes premiums up for everyone. A simple way to help reduce the cost of insurance is to target vehicle crime and do everything possible to eliminate vehicle theft. While there is no one single thing to completely protect your vehicle, our advice to drivers is to install approved alarms, immobilisers, or steering locks and to never leave valuables on display in the car.
“In our Motoring Manifesto**, we called for more police officers to help tackle motoring related crime. More bobbies on the beat within local communities can help reduce car crime.”
