PRESTIGE cars are at higher risk from audio thieves than mainstream fleet vehicles according to a new survey by accident management specialist AutoManagement. The Peterborough-based company monitored the 50,000 vehicles on its fleet and found brands like Mercedes-Benz and BMW were much more likely to suffer break-ins than mainstream vehicles.

Although BMW cars account for just 7% of cars on the fleet, AutoManagement found they accounted for 48% of all audio unit thefts. Similarly, although Mercedes-Benz vehicles make up only about 1% of the AutoManagement fleet, they account for 8% of break-ins where the stereos are taken. Taken together, the combined presence of Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen vehicles in the survey accounts for 88% of all car stereo thefts, but only 16% of the overall fleet total.

In contrast, mainstream vehicles such as Vauxhalls account for 28% of vehicles on the fleet, but just 1% of thefts while Rover accounts for 14% of vehicles but 1% of stolen units.