The Most Commonly Stolen Cars & What To Do If Your Car Is Stolen

When it comes to car theft, it’s easy to have an “It won’t happen to me” attitude. Yet over 64,000 cars were reported stolen in the UK last year.

For most, having your car stolen is something out of a nightmare. It causes a serious disruption to your daily life, from not being able to take the children to school to failing to make it to work on time. That’s not to mention the fact it feels like a violation and it’s possible that your car will lose value even if it’s recovered.

All in all, car theft is more common than you may have previously thought and its impact is substantial. So we put together this comprehensive guide sharing which cars are most often stolen along with advice on what to do if your car is stolen in the UK.

8 Most Commonly Stolen Cars in the UK

According to DVLA data collected by Leaseloco, these are the most common car brands stolen in the UK, along with the number stolen over a year: 

1. Ford – 11,703
2. Land Rover – 8,284 
3. BMW – 5,870
4. Mercedes-Benz – 5,542 
5. Volkswagen – 4,336 
6. Audi – 4,091 
7. Toyota – 3,095 
8. Fiat – 1,004 

As is evident from this list, high-value cars are popular among thieves. After all, Land Rover, BMX, and Mercedes-Benz rank in the top five most expensive cars to own. Naturally, car thieves are looking for a payday.

Another thing this data proves is that not only luxury cars are targeted by thieves. Brands such as Toyota and Fiat are up for grabs too. It’s particularly surprising that Ford tops the list above several high-end brands. 

One of the reasons for this is that second-hand Ford models have increased in value in recent years as popular models such as the Focus and Fiesta were discontinued. Nostalgia has increased demand for these models and therefore upped their resale value.

What you can take away from this is that if your car manufacturer features here, it may have a greater risk of being stolen. Thus, you may need to take extra precautions to secure your vehicle.

What to Do If Your Car Is Stolen

It’s important to remain calm if your car has been stolen and follow the right protocols. Here are the steps you must take:

1. Rule out other possibilities – Before you report your car as stolen to the relevant authorities, you should double-check any other possible explanations for your car’s absence. Did you park it somewhere other than your usual parking space and forget? Or, perhaps, it has been towed if you parked illegally. You may also wish to check with others who have access to the car if they have taken it without notifying you.
   
2. Alert the police – Call 101, the non-emergency police line, to be connected to your local police station. They’ll ask you for details about your car including its colour, make, and model as well as a list of any items inside the car. Then you’ll receive a crime reference number which you can share with your insurance provider.
   
3. Tell your insurance provider – Submit a claim with your insurance company as soon as possible. Usually, you’ll need to call your provider, so have your policy number and crime reference number ready. If you have replacement car cover, your provider will be able to arrange a temporary vehicle at this point.
   
4. Contact the DVLA – You only need to contact the DVLA if your insurance company pays out on your claim. In this instance, you have technically sold your car to the insurance company. To report this to the DVLA, you can fill in an online form or send off the physical form located within your car’s logbook.

What Happens If Your Car Is Stolen Then Found In the UK?

Finding your car is a relief but there are still a few issues to take care of. If the police find your vehicle, you must first tell your insurance provider. Next, you should check if your car has been damaged by thieves. Furthermore, the police will run checks to see if your car has been used in any other criminal activities.

Charges must be paid to recover a vehicle from the police impound centre. This should be completed within 14 days or the police may dispose of your vehicle. Your insurance company may pay the charges and collect the car on your behalf. To recover your car, you or the insurance agent must provide your unique vehicle identification number. 

How to Prevent Your Car From Being Stolen

If you take steps to prevent thieves from stealing your car, you’ll have greater peace of mind and save yourself all of the aforementioned inconvenience. Here are some actions you can take to increase your car’s security:

• Install an effective car alarm system – Modern car alarm systems use sophisticated technology, such as advanced sensors to detect a variety of actions from proximity to voices and immobilisers to prevent individuals without the right key from using the vehicle. 
• Install GPS tracking – Car trackers monitor your car’s location in real-time. This means that if your car gets stolen it can be recovered quickly before any damage is done to the car or the thieves carry out any further criminal activities.
• Protect your keys – Thieves may use sophisticated methods such as relay attacks to hijack your key’s signal and access your vehicle. To stop them from intercepting the signal, you can keep your keys in a Faraday cage or pouch.
• Use a steering wheel lock – This is an obvious visual deterrent to criminals. Thieves will always seek out the easiest target so may avoid your vehicle if there’s clearly an extra obstacle for them to get through.
• Park in safe, well-lit areas – Choose a busy area with CCTV cameras present whenever possible. If you have a garage, use it for your car rather than storage. Always double check your car and garage are both locked as you don’t want to make theft any easier.

Car Security

Thieves are more likely to target high-value vehicles. But the truth is, criminals may go after any car, especially if it appears an easy target. 

The best way to deter thieves is by increasing your car’s security. It’s worthwhile to prevent the stress and hassle associated with your car being stolen. Take appropriate measures to ensure your car’s security is as sophisticated as the methods of modern thieves. To discuss the best security measures for your car’s make and model, give Motorguard a call.