The Association of Chief Police Officers Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service (AVCIS) has named the Ford Transit van as the most common vehicle to be stolen.

Hot on its heels is the Ford Fiesta, closely followed by the Vauxhall Astra and Vauxhall Corsa, which represent some of the most popular vehicles on the road.

There is only a 51% chance of recovering a stolen vehicle.

The top 10 most stolen vehicles of last year are:

  1. Ford Transit
  2. Ford Fiesta
  3. Vauxhall Astra
  4. Vauxhall Corsa
  5. Volkswagen Golf
  6. BMW 3-Series
  7. Ford Escort
  8. Ford Focus
  9. Ford Mondeo
  10. Vauxhall Vectra

“Due to the sheer number of these vehicles and the huge market for stolen parts, these cars are very popular with criminals,” said detective chief inspector Mark Hooper, head of AVCIS.

“We are finding that vehicles registered in the late-1990s and early-2000s are among those most desired.

"The vehicles are stripped for parts, which are sold on the internet before the larger components are sold as scrap metal.”

Regionally, you are most likely to be a victim of car crime if you live in:

  • Chislehurst (South-East London)
  • Wingate (Durham)
  • Redbridge (East London)
  • Hatfield (Doncaster),

which were named as the UK’s top four car crime hotspots.

AVCIS advises that motorists follow the guidelines below to help prevent vehicles from being targeted:

  • Secure your home by locking downstairs doors and windows. Also ensure that conservatories and garages are locked as well as any connecting doors to the house. Side gates and access to the back garden should also be secured
  • Burglaries do not only occur when the occupants are asleep or away from home; opportunist thieves will strike while doors are left open, for example while you are unloading your car. Do not leave your keys in your vehicle, in the door or in a place that is immediately visible upon entry to the house
  • Consider whether the existing locks on your windows and doors are resistant to being opened with force. If not, seek out more secure replacements
  • Offenders sometimes ‘fish’ keys through letterboxes and windows using the so called ‘hook and cane’ method so keep your keys out of sight, away from windows and letterboxes. Also ensure your spare keys are concealed
  • Criminals will patrol housing estates to select cars within the district which they deem suitable to steal. If you think you are being followed or if you see a car acting suspiciously, take down the registration number and any details of the vehicle before reporting to your local police
  • If you have a garage, use it to store your car whenever possible