ONS data shows 350 vehicles stolen every day

The number of vehicles being stolen each year has remained relatively unchanged year-on-year, while thefts from vehicles declined, according to new data from the Office of National Statistics (ONS).

Figures from the ONS show that there were 129,159 vehicles stolen between April 2023 and March 2024, compared to 130,119 for same period in 2022-23.

While vehicle theft remains stubbornly high, incidents of items being stolen from vehicles fell by 12%, with 193,023 crimes recorded for vehicles being broken into.

For the same period last year 218,431 people reported that something had been taken from their vehicle.

The ONS data also shows that there was a 2% increase in vehicle interference or tampering with a motor vehicle, rising from 52,268 reported incidents to 53,369.

Vehicle tampering includes taking parts from a vehicle such as a catalytic convertor.

Gus Park, managing director of AA Insurance Services, said: “Every day more than 500 vehicles are broken into, while 350 are stolen. Despite the year-on-year reduction for these offences, the figures are simply too high.”

After falling steadily during the 2010s, the RAC says that the past few years have seen an alarming rise in the number of recorded crimes where vehicles are stolen.

RAC spokesperson Rod Dennis said: “When you consider that most car theft crimes go unsolved, it’s a pretty bleak picture.

“It’s a real cat-and-mouse situation between vehicle manufacturers and criminals, with carmakers ever tightening security, only for thieves to use increasingly using sophisticated tactics to find a way round their systems. 

“We would like to see the new government take steps to tackle car crime by re-establishing the vehicle theft taskforce that was set up in 2019, or at least engaging heavily with police forces, manufacturers and the insurance industry to map out a way forward.”

Park explained that the “harsh reality” is that every stolen car increases the cost of claims and pushes premiums up for everyone.

“A simple way to help reduce the cost of insurance is to target vehicle crime and do everything possible to eliminate vehicle theft,” he added.

“While there is no one single thing to completely protect your vehicle, our advice to drivers is to install approved alarms, immobilisers, or steering locks and to never leave valuables on display in the car.”