The lovely people at Rivervale Leasing have been researching into which cars are most likely to be stolen. We think you should know. And, before you get too comfy and settle down to read the report, we think you should nip outside just to check you’ve locked yours.
The data has been revealed following a Freedom of Information request Rivervale Leasing submitted. The DVLA came up with the goods and it makes for pretty grim reading, not least because around 75,000 vehicles were nicked last year, that’s nearly 20,000 more than in 2019. So we’re talking about more than 200 stolen vehicles every single day.
Want us to make you even more glum? The data shows that three out of every four vehicles stolen aren’t returned. That’s the highest non-return stat for 10 years.
According to Rivervale Leasing’s findings, the top 15 cars stolen in 2020 were:
- Ford Fiesta – 3,392
- Land Rover Range Rover – 2,881
- Volkswagen Golf – 1,975
- Ford Focus – 1,587
- BMW 3 Series – 1,435
- Vauxhall Astra – 1,126
- Land Rover Discovery – 900
- Mercedes-Benz E Class – 766
- BMW 5 Series – 678
- Nissan Qashqai – 655
- Ford Kuga – 620
- BMW X5 – 551
- Fiat 500 – 358
- Mercedes-Benz GLC – 342
- Audi A6 – 268
The good news is that Rivervale Leasing also studied the ONS’s figures on the main ways thieves steal cars, so they have been able to offer a Top Five Ways to Prevent Car Theft. Here goes:
1. Keyless car theft is the most popular method of entry, with 36% of thefts resulting from a signal from a remote locking device, so investing in a signal blocker is a good idea.
2. Keeping your car in a locked garage is a great move because ¾ of thefts are of cars parked on the street.
3. Worse than that, but perhaps unsurprisingly, 80% of car thefts happen in the evening or at night. Parking in a well-lit area seems an obvious tip, but if you can do it then do it.
4. Of course, if you leave valuables on show in a car that will only encourage thieves. Don’t do it.
5. Last but not least, a quarter of thefts happen because the thief has got hold of your key. Don’t leave it in your coat pocket (not that you’ll be hanging it up in the Red Lion or at Nando’s any time soon) and definitely not on the hall table when you get home.
So, now you know.
Rivervale Leasing has a really useful blog always worth checking out here