The UK’s most stolen cars and vehicle theft hotspots

A look at the 20 car models most targeted by thieves, and the areas where you're most likely to fall victim.

The BMW is the most popular brand of car to be stolen, according to new research.

According to records from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), analysed by Yellowhite, a personalised number plate provider, 11,666 cars were reported stolen between 2022 and 2024.

The BMW topped the list with a total of 1,209 stolen between January 2022 and December 2024, accounting for more than 1 in every 10 vehicle thefts nationwide.

Second on the list was the Kia (1,126), followed by the Toyota (1,018), which came in as the third most stolen brand. 

German car brands feature prominently in the top 20, with BMW, Volkswagen, Audi and Mercedes-Benz together accounting for 3,794 thefts. 

It's thought the BMW has become popular with thieves because of its key-less technology, which security experts say makes it a target for relay attacks - a technique that enables thieves to steal vehicles in less than 60 seconds.

The Saab accounted for some of the highest thefts at 2.56 per cent of registered vehicles, while popular family car brands Ford, Nissan and Vauxhall all feature in the top 20. 

You can see the top 20 in full below, according to DVLA figures.

Source: DVLA/Yellowhite

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How is your car likely to be targeted?

Information from price comparison site Confused.com last year also revealed some interesting data on how and where cars are stolen.

The most common location was being stolen on the street outside the victim's home, with more than a quarter (28%) targeted in this way.

In terms of the thieves' modus operandi, hot-wiring was the most common method (23%), followed by smashing a window in (22%) and breaking into the home to steal the keys (10%).

Does your motor's age and colour matter?

Tesco Bank has looked at its own claims data for the year to August 2024 to work out the colour and age of cars likely to be targeted by thieves.

Its research revealed that black cars are most frequently stolen, making up 27% of all thefts, while grey cars represent 18% of claims and white cars account for 17% of thefts.

While we might assume that new cars are most attractive to thieves, vehicles between five and nine years old represent 52% of claims made to Tesco Bank.

Similarly, cars between 10 and 14 years old made up 23% of thefts.

Surprisingly, however, cars under four years old accounted for just 15% of claims.

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Where is your car most likely to be stolen?

As we all know, drivers in certain areas are also at greater risk.

According to research from valuation specialists HPI, Greater London has the highest incidence of this type of crime, with 760 thefts per 100,000 cars.

Shockingly, the region recorded almost 20,000 car thefts in 2023.

Next up were the West Midlands and Yorkshire & The Humber, which experienced rates of 760 and 401 thefts per 100,000 cars.

In contrast, Northern Ireland is the safest county in the rankings, with just 23 out of 100,000 cars being stolen.

Car thefts by county

Source: This is Money/HPI

As well as being hugely distressing for victims, this type of crime can have a significant impact on your insurance premiums.

If you live in an area with a higher-than-average number of car thefts, your insurance is going to cost you more as the provider will view you as more likely to make a claim.

It’s a similar story with where you keep your car overnight. If it’s kept in a locked garage, it’s obviously going to be less accessible to thieves than if it’s parked on the street.
 

Will the thieves be caught?

Having your car taken is a complete nightmare. But once you report it to the police, will the thieves be brought to justice?

Sadly, the chances don’t look good.

Data from the Home Office has found that just over 3% of car thefts were solved in 2023, which is down from just over 4% in 2018.

Likewise, analysis from Rivervale Leasing, which went through the figures dating back to 2010 from the Office for National Statistics, found that, on average, just two in five stolen cars are handed back to the owner.

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The worst regions for vandalism

Theft is, of course, not the only type of car crime drivers need to worry about.

According to data from insurer Churchill, more than 3,000 cars are subject to vandalism every week in England and Wales.

With incidents surging by 26% over the six months to September 2023, Cornwall and Devon are the worst-affected regions for vandalism.

The top five vandalism hotspots

Source: Churchill

Protecting yourself from car crime

There is far more you can do to keep your car safe than simply parking it in a garage.

If you would like to learn more, check out our advice on how to beat hi-tech car thieves.

By following these tips, you can reduce your risk of being among the thousands of motorists each year who have to report a stolen or vandalised car to the police.

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