More than 50% of stolen cars recovered by Tracker are taken in Greater London

For the third year running Greater London is the region where cars are most frequently stolen and recovered, according to the latest analysis of figures from stolen vehicle recovery expert, Tracker.

The West Midlands is close behind, followed by Essex and Greater Manchester. Last year Tracker recovered over £12.5 million worth of stolen vehicles, returning them to their owners.

While the UK's capital remains at the top of the league table for stolen and recovered cars, Essex has been reinstated to third place, having last held that position in 2010. The South East as a whole is a prime region for car theft, with Kent and Surrey featuring in the top ten for the third year running. South Yorkshire is featured in the top 10 for the first time, joining West Yorkshire.

Stuart Chapman, police liaison officer for Tracker, said: "Out of all the cars we recovered in 2012, over half were in Greater London. In contrast Devon and Cumbria had the lowest number of recoveries, suggesting that car thieves tend to focus on urban areas and big cities. The average value of the cars we recovered was £25,500, with the lowest value at just £3,000."