Which police forces deal with the most vehicle crime, which cars thieves go for, and how to keep yours. Figures cover car thefts, break-ins and tampering together, as the police record them.
Recorded by police in England & Wales, year ending March 2026: about 855 a day.
4,446 stolen in 2024
National figures hide big local differences. See the latest police.uk incidents around your postcode.
Ranked by vehicle offences per 1,000 residents, year ending March 2026. Risk compares each force with the England & Wales average: Severe 1.5× or more, High 1–1.5×, Moderate 0.6–1×, Low under 0.6×.
City of London has very few residents, so ONS publishes no per-person rate for it.
DVLA stolen vehicle records released under Freedom of Information and analysed by What Car? and Tempcover. Popular models top the list partly because there are simply more of them on the road.
One thief picks up the signal from a keyless fob inside your home and relays it to an accomplice by the car, which then unlocks and starts as if the key were there.
Best defence: Keep keys in a signal-blocking (Faraday) pouch away from doors and windows, and switch keyless entry off if your car lets you.
Thieves reach the car's wiring, often behind a headlight or wheel arch, and send commands that unlock it and get round the immobiliser.
Best defence: Fit a secondary immobiliser that needs its own code, and use a visible steering wheel lock.
Once inside, thieves plug a device into the diagnostic port under the dashboard and program a blank key.
Best defence: Fit an OBD port lock, and add a steering wheel lock so a new key alone isn't enough.
Keys taken in a burglary, or left in an unlocked or idling car on a cold morning.
Best defence: Keep keys out of sight and away from the front door, and never leave the car running unattended.
When reviewing national vehicle crime trends on Kermo, it's worth knowing how the Home Office and constabularies across England and Wales log these incidents. The data displayed above groups three distinct offences under one big "Vehicle Crime" umbrella:
Because the police lump these together to protect victim privacy, we can't magically separate a smashed window from a stolen car in the overall stats. However, looking at the national trends gives you a great perspective on which areas and which vehicles are most targeted.
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