the most stolen cars in the UK last year have been revealed, with the Ford Fiesta topping the list.
There were 3,392 reports of Fiestas being stolen in 2020, although this will come as little surprise because the supermini is the UK’s perennial best-seller, with 49,174 new Fiestas registered last year alone.
Number of luxury cars being stolen doubles in five years
The second-most stolen automobile last year may raise much more eyebrows, as this was the considerably rarer and much more expensive range Rover, of which 2,881 were taken. The range Rover is vulnerable both to covetous glances and expensive parts, but its maker, Land Rover, said that not only do “Land Rover cars adhere to the legislation at the time of manufacture”, but the firm “takes the issue very seriously”, and is “working tirelessly to counter the ever-changing nature of car thefts.”
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Land Rover also highlighted that it “is one of the first producers to successfully safeguard its new cars against relay attack, which has been independently verified by the ADAC and Which? in 2019.”
Meanwhile, the third-most stolen automobile in 2020 was the UK’s third-best-selling car, too, with 1,975 Volkswagen Golfs falling into criminals’ hands.
Rank
Car
Number stolen in 2020
1
Ford Fiesta
3,392
2
Range Rover
2,881
3
Volkswagen Golf
1,975
4
Ford Focus
1,587
5
BMW 3 Series
1,435
6
Vauxhall Astra
1,126
7
Land Rover Discovery
900
8
Mercedes E-Class
766
9
BMW 5 Series
678
10
Nissan Qashqai
655
11
Ford Kuga
620
12
BMW X5
551
13
Fiat 500
358
14
Mercedes GLC
342
15
Audi A6
268
The data comes from the motorist and car Licensing agency (DVLA) and was obtained by Rivervale Leasing through a freedom of information request. The figures also reveal 74,769 cars were notified to by the police to DVLA as being stolen in 2020 according to DVLA records. This is nearly 20,000 much more than in 2019, and equivalent to 205 thefts per day.
According to the office for national statistics (ONS), 72 per cent of stolen cars are not returned to their owners. Furthermore, the ONS says 36 per cent of stolen cars are taken through keyless theft, where thieves use a relay device to unlock a automobile and start its engine in a matter of seconds without having to physically break in.
Meanwhile, 24 per cent of automobile thefts involve the offender stealing the driver’s key, with experts recommending chauffeurs to keep automobile keys out of sight, and away from windows. chauffeurs are also recommended to park in well-lit areas, as 80 per cent of car thefts occur in the evening or at night.
Have you been the victim of automobile theft? let us know in the comments below…
