UK’s worst regions for car theft revealed

England’s drivers are eight times more likely to have their car taken than those in Northern Ireland, four times as likely as those in Wales, and twice as likely as those in Scotland, according to new research.  

Data shows that the vast majority of car thefts took place in England (50,734), equating to 0.92 cars taken for every 1,000 people. 

In contrast, 1,462 cars were taken in Scotland, equating to 0.46 per 1,000 people, and the corresponding figures for Wales was 1,305 thefts, which is 0.24 per 1,000 people.

However, Northern Ireland is the area with the lowest rate of car thefts per population overall, with 213 cars taken, 0.11 per 1,000 people.   

The new research from What Car? also reveals that the West Midlands is the worst region for car theft by population.

Although, there were fewer car thefts in the West Midlands than there were in London (7,694 versus 14,106), those living in England’s second most populous region are far more likely to have their car taken. 

In 2024, the data shows that 2.64 cars were stolen for every 1,000 people living in the West Midlands, compared with 1.58 vehicle thefts per 1,000 people in Greater London. 

In contrast, just 0.17 cars per 1,000 people were stolen from Cumbria and 0.11 from the whole of Northern Ireland. 

Stolen cars by region/country

Source: What Car?

Most expensive cars stolen  

Source: What Car?

Nine of the 10 most expensive cars stolen were from England, with one registered to Northern Ireland. 

Overall, What Car? found more than £5 million worth of top-end exotica and supercars were stolen in2024, including Bentleys, Ferraris, Lamborghinis and Rolls Royce models. 

Although they account for less than 100 of the 61,343 cars stolen in total, many of them were worth more than £100,000. 

The priciest model to be taken in 2024 was a nearly new Ferrari Purosangue SUV with a value of around £375,000. 

On its own, it’s worth 75 times more than the most frequently stolen vehicle, the 2016 Ford Fiesta, which has an average value of £5,000. 

The top three priciest cars taken were all SUVs, and while nine out of the top 10 were less than eight years old, one classic was included: a 1987 Aston Martin V8 Volante worth around £150,000. 

What Car? consumer editor, Claire Evans, said: “Regardless of the value of your car, a good quality steering-wheel lock is recommended, along with a faraday bag – a tiny key-storage pouch which blocks the signal from your key to the car. 

“It’s a shocking statistic that 44% of cars are accessed via an unlocked door and 80% of thefts take place at night or in the dark, so simple measures such as always checking your car is locked and parking in a well-lit location can also help.” 

The number of cars stolen in the UK reduced by 6% year-on-year in 2024, including a 47% drop in thefts of Range Rover Sports.