Britain’s most-owned automotive can be the most stolen, with Ford Fiesta thefts rising 53 per cent in 2022, in accordance with official knowledge completely shared with This is Money.
Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) figures present 5,979 Fiestas had been reported stolen final yr in comparison with 3,909 in 2021. It means a felony made off with one each 88 minutes on common.
The Fiesta’s rating because the most-stolen automotive in Britain would not come as an enormous shock provided that round 1.5 million are registered on the highway. But consultants have warned they may very well be at larger danger after Ford introduced final yr that it’ll cease making them, which might see the fee of Fiesta elements rise.
These new figures additionally counsel thieves are persevering with to focus on high-value motors, with Range Rovers second within the order of stolen automobiles by quantity final yr.
In truth, there was a 47 per cent rise within the quantity of the costly SUVs unlawfully taken from their rightful house owners in 2022 in comparison with the yr earlier, whereas Land Rover Discovery thefts additionally rose by greater than half.
Is your automotive among the many 10 most generally stolen fashions? The figures have been supplied by the DVLA following a Freedom of Information request
The DVLA supplied official automobile theft knowledge to car-leasing comparability website LeaseLoco, which has shared the knowledge completely with us.
In complete, 61,106 stolen cars of all makes and fashions had been reported to the DVLA in 2022, in comparison with 48,493 in 2021 – a rise of 26 per cent.
That equates to a automotive stolen from its proprietor each eight-and-a-half minutes someplace within the UK final yr.
There had been 12,613 extra cars stolen final yr than throughout 2021 (48,493), and a pair of,464 greater than the 58,642 pinched throughout 2019, pre-pandemic, it added.
Of these 61,106 motors pinched in 2022, virtually 10 per cent had been Fiestas.
The Ford Fiesta was the most stolen automotive by quantity in Britain final yr. It’s the most widespread mannequin on the highway, however knowledge reveals thefts rose year-on-year by a staggering 53%
The 5,979 Fiestas listed as stolen on DVLA data is 53 per cent greater than the earlier yr. Of the highest 10 most generally nicked cars, that is the most important year-on-year rise.
While many will level to this primarily being a outcome of there being extra Fiestas than some other mannequin out there to thieves, consultants did warn final yr the modest Ford might grow to be more and more focused now that manufacturing is because of finish.
On 26 October final yr, Ford made the shock announcement that it’ll stop making Fiestas in June 2023 because it appears to be like to switch the immensely common mannequin with an all-new electrical automobile.
The affirmation noticed the worth of second-hand Fiestas final yr rise virtually immediately as house owners regarded to cash-in on the information.
But automobile safety consultants additionally warned that Ford’s determination to stop manufacturing might in the end spark a rise in demand for second-hand elements and due to this fact an increase in thefts.
British agency Tracker, which gives monitoring units to assist find automobiles in the event that they’re stolen, instructed Fiesta house owners to be ‘on their guard’ as their cars might grow to be a scorching goal for thieves within the coming months and years.
Clive Wain, Tracker’s head of police liaison, instructed us: ‘It is widespread for any automobile to grow to be in excessive demand when provide stops, and the value of elements will slowly begin to improve.
‘The finish of the Fiesta doesn’t simply sign the tip of one of the most common cars within the UK, however an excellent larger theft danger for these cars which can be at the moment on the highway.
‘Over the previous couple of years, we’ve already seen {that a} world lack of good high quality used automobiles, alongside spare elements shortages, are rising the desirability of older, decrease worth cars just like the Fiesta.
‘Vehicles are sometimes stolen and stripped for his or her elements in chop outlets or stolen to order to be shipped overseas to fulfill worldwide demand.’
Commenting on the DVLA knowledge, LeaseLoco’s chief govt John Wilmot mentioned: ‘The Ford Fiesta has retained its unenviable title because the most stolen automotive in Britain, with our analysis revealing {that a} Fiesta was stolen each 87 minutes someplace within the UK final yr.
‘However, it’s more likely to be the final yr it tops the desk, as Ford lately introduced that it is going to be discontinuing the Fiesta in June, 47 years after the primary mannequin rolled off the manufacturing line.’
Range Rover is Britain’s second most-pinched automotive as thieves goal high-value automobiles to order
Like final yr, second within the listing behind the Fiesta in phrases of automotive theft volumes was the Range Rover.
An enormous 5,533 had been reported stolen to the DVLA, up from 3,754 in 2021 to mark a year-on-year improve of 47.4 per cent.
While the costly SUV is comparatively widespread with over 400,000 at the moment on the highway, it definitely is not among the many ten most-registered fashions within the UK and is lower than a 3rd the quantity of Fiestas in use in Britain at present.
Yet extra had been stolen than Ford’s Focus hatchback (2,186) and Volkswagen’s Golf (2,036), each of which have way more registered examples.
The Range Rover is the second most stolen automotive in 2022, with 5,533 cases reported by police to the DVLA. It’s a year-on-year improve of 47% as criminals goal high-value motors
The Ford Focus was the third most generally pinched mannequin, in accordance with official data supplied to LeaseLoco following an FOI request to the DVLA
Some 1,920 Land Rover Discovery 4X4s had been taken by thieves in 2022. That’s a year-on-year rise of 52%
Fifth within the rankings of stolen cars was the Land Rover Discovery, with 1,920 reported to police and the DVLA in 2022.
This is a 52.4 per cent improve of the 1,260 that had been pinched in 2021 and is the next theft quantity than way more common cars, like Vauxhall’s Corsa (1,280) and Astra (1,240).
Keyless cars ‘twice as more likely to be stolen’
An insurer final yr examined theft claims knowledge and located that cars with keyless know-how are twice as more likely to be pinched as these with out these options, and criminals have gotten more and more brazen as extra are ditching the duvet of darkness to steal automobiles in broad daylight.
Aviva mentioned claims data held on its database for between August 2020 and August 2022 present that the quantity of cars stolen with keyless entry and keyless begin techniques had been twice the amount of fashions with out the tech.
A spokesperson instructed This is Money: ‘Analysis of our claims knowledge reveals that theft claims are twice as more likely to happen for keyless automobiles than non-keyless fashions.’
> Read extra: How keyless cars usually tend to be stolen
This hints at skilled thieves taking cars to order based mostly on their worth to these greater up the crime chain.
These costly cars are extra susceptible to ‘relay thefts’ as a result of criminals can use hacking units to infiltrate the keyless entry and keyless begin techniques which can be usually options of high-end motors.
An investigation by insurer Direct Line spoke to automotive thieves final yr, by which it interviewed them and located that most are going out to steal with a procuring listing of automobiles, which often consists of 5 or 6 fashions to focus on by these behind the black market.
These are particular requests for sure automobiles they need to break down for spare elements or which can be in excessive demand abroad, with dear SUVs often excessive on the listing.
In return, thieves will usually safe the next proportion of an in-demand automobile’s worth, although at finest nonetheless hope to make simply 5 per cent of what a priceless automotive is really price.
Direct Line discovered that usually a automotive thief solely secures round 1.25 per cent of the motor’s market value on common when rewarded for his or her unlawful companies.
‘The luxurious SUV continues to be a preferred goal for stylish felony gangs who’ve the data and keyless tech to shortly acquire entry,’ Mr Wilmot added.
‘But our figures present that it isn’t simply Range Rover thefts which can be on the rise. There was an general 26 per cent improve in automotive thefts final yr.
‘Car house owners must be conscious that thefts are on the rise and to take the suitable precautions to keep away from turning into a sufferer.’
Making up the remaining of the highest most generally stolen cars are different examples of costly automobiles seemingly excessive in demand on the black market.
This consists of the BMW 3 Series, with 1,454 thefts down 0.7 per cent on 2021 data.
The Mercedes-Benz C-Class and E-Class rounded out the highest 10, with 1,378 (down 6.5 per cent) and 866 (up 5.9 per cent) cases respectively.
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