VEHICLE manufacturers, the Government and the police need to forge closer ties to combat car crime, the annual Association of Chief Police Officers summer conference has heard. Britain is classed as the car crime capital of Europe, with 500,000 cars stolen every year and ACPO is campaigning for more to be done to cut vehicle-related crime.

In the July integrated transport white paper the Government pledged to tackle vehicle crime with a number of new initiatives. The campaign for vehicle security improvements comes as the What Car? annual security survey revealed that of 75 S-registered cars tested just five - the Jaguar XJ8, BMW 523i Touring, BMW 735i, the yet-to-be launched BMW 318i and the Volvo C70 - passed Home Office guidelines which require a vehicle's locking system to resist attack from a thief for two minutes.

Home Office Minister Alun Michael said: 'I am disappointed to see that some manufacturers still do not attach enough importance to perimeter security. Improving the quality of door locks is a matter that needs to be addressed with some urgency.'