Car theft by keys on the rise
TRACKER, the stolen vehicle tracking and recovery systems specialist, reveals that the percentage of vehicles it recovered that were stolen using the owner’s keys has worryingly gone up to 80 per cent in quarter one of 2010, from 74 per cent at the end of last year.
In quarter one 2010 the top three most commonly stolen and recovered models remained unchanged when compared to 2009 with the BMW X5 at the top, followed by the Land Rover Range Rover and BMW M3. However, the Audi TT slipped down the popularity ladder and the Land Rover Defender took its place, pushing the Audi RS4 down to sixth in the TRACKER top ten stolen and recovered league. At the bottom of the chart, the Porsche 911 and Boxster joined the Audi Q7 at ten, as did the Subaru Impreza.
“While our top ten features prestige brands, this doesn’t tell the whole story, as thieves will target vehicles across a range of values, especially as today’s market means car buyers are looking for bargains,” says Stephen Doran, managing director for TRACKER. The highest value stolen vehicle recovery in quarter one by TRACKER was a Mercedes CL63 AMG worth £120,000, whilst the lowest value vehicle recovered was a Ford Sierra worth £1,000. Doran continues, “The recession is taking its toll on thieves too and we have seen them adjust their targets to suit buyers, making lower value vehicles just as valuable to them as the fancy sports cars.”
Unsurprisingly, the regional picture shows that London remains the hot spot for thefts with Essex and Greater Manchester in second and third – no change from 2009. However, West Yorkshire and the West Midlands were both prime targets this time last year, but have been replaced by Kent and Surrey. South Yorkshire, Bedfordshire, Nottinghamshire, Birmingham and Cheshire also saw a high level of theft and recovery in the first quarter of 2010.
“Once again our latest stolen vehicle recovery figures reveal that thieves are willing to consider any region as well as any vehicle,” adds Doran. “Although the latest Home Office figures* reveal that vehicle thefts have fallen, TRACKER recovered over £22 million worth of vehicles in 2009. This shows that vehicle theft is still a very real threat and it is more important than ever that people protect themselves and their vehicles by keeping their keys safe at all times. In addition, having a tracking device fitted vastly improves the chances of recovering a stolen vehicle, helping to reduce financial and emotional heartache.”
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