Auto Windscreens warns of increased vehicle break ins

Auto Windscreens is seeing an increase in the number of body glass claims this month, corresponding to the clocks changing and nights getting darker.

It’s a trend the company also saw last year, with the highest number of claims with ‘break in’ given as the reason, occurring during November 2022 as well as January 2023.

Body glass claims have halved since 2011, however, supporting recent figures from The Office for National Statistics, which indicate thefts of vehicles or from vehicles have become less frequent.

Comparing surveys completed in 2011 and 2023, the number of vehicle-related thefts reduced from 1,171,000 to 729,000.

Shaun Atton, Auto Windscreens’ business development director, said: “Body glass claims are often as a result of theft from a vehicle, and it’s good news that we’ve seen these type of claims reduce year on year, but it suggests when thefts do take place, criminals are finding different ways to break into vehicles, through locks and doors. When we see these type of glass claims, the majority are usually during November.”

According to a Freedom on Information request by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, tool theft is also causing a problem, having increased by 15% over the past three years, and costing businesses more than £46m.

Atton added: “During the next few months, with shorter days and darker nights, we’d remind all drivers, including fleets, to remain vigilant.”