High-Risk Vehicles
Is yours on the list of UK's most targeted vehicles?
Remember, anyone can fall victim to car crime, not just those who own a high-risk vehicle.
Compiling our high-risk vehicle list, we take into account such factors as official vehicle theft statistics, number of registrations for a particular period of time, demand on the black market for any particular make/model and its parts, as well as the vehicle’s inherent vulnerabilities and how easily they can be expoited by a would-be thief.
Light Commercial Vehicles (Vans)
LCV owners are a particularly high risk group as they are targeted not only for their vehicle, but also the contents of the rear — dozens of tradespeople lose their livelihood every month due to tool theft.
Amongst the vans at an increased risk of theft are Ford Transit Custom, VW Transporter, Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, and other popular models like Fiat Ducato. VW Crafter, Renault Trafic, Vauxhall Vivaro, Peugeot Expert, Mercedes Vito, Citroen Ralay, and many others.
Small vans, like Citroen Berlingo, Ford Transit Connect, Peugeot Partner, Vauxhall Combo, VW Caddy, Fiat Doblo, etc., are frequently targeted by thieves too.
This category also includes pick-up trucks such as Mitsubishi L200, Ford Ranger, Nissan Navara, Toyota Hilux, VW Amarok, etc.
Mainstream Cars
England’s most popular mainstream cars, such as Ford Fiesta / Focus / Kuga, VW Golf / Polo, Nissan Qashqai, Kia Sportage, are prime targets for car thieves not so much due to their value, but because of the demand for spare parts. These cars are most commonly stolen to order to be dismantled in an underground ‘chop shop’ and used as a donor for an identical car purchased as ‘repairable’ from an insurance company.
It’s important to note that even cars that don’t have keyless entry, such as the massively popular Fiat-Abarth, Vauxhall Corsa, and some VAG Group vehicles are stolen as frequently as keyless cars for this purpose.
High-End / Luxury Cars
Over 95% of newer high-end cars are keyless, and therefore extremely vulnerable to the so-called relay attack. But even when owners take preventive measures, such as investing in a Faraday pouch, streering wheel lock, or a generic aftermarket immobiliser, thieves get around such measures fairly easily.
Amongst the premium brands heavily targeted by thieves in the UK, are Land Rover Range Rover, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Audi.
Luxury cars, sports cars, and exclusive classic cars are less likely to be stolen as they are more distinctive and can be spotted more easily than common cars, but nevertheless they are still at risk of theft. Such brands as Porsche, Jaguar, Bentley, Ferrari, Tesla, Aston Martin, McLaren are of interest to thieves due to their high value on the black market. These cars are more likely to be exported abroad for resales rather than sold or dismantled for parts locally.
Theft Of External Parts
Theft of external parts is a very common practice, and it’s not only wing mirrors, headlights, alloy wheels, and parking sensors that are ripped out of cars — it is not unheard of for people to find their cars fully stripped.
And, of course, catalytic converter theft from hybrid cars is a massive ongoing issue in the UK. Hybrid vehicles targeted for their catalytic converters are: Toyota Prius, Toyota Yaris, Honda Jazz, Mercedes Sprinter, Toyota Auris, Honda Accord, Lexus 450h.
Moto Transport
Motorcycle, scooter, and quad bike owners are prime targets of vehicle crime in the UK.
Bikes can be stolen easier than cars, and it doesn’t help that owners of moto transport often choose to rely on mechanical protection alone (steel chains / steering wheel locks), which is not much of a challenge to thieves.
This group is also at an increasingly high risk of physical attack (carjacking).
Attacks on food delivery personnel using scooters have skyrocketed over the last couple of years in the UK.
Heavy Duty Vehicles
It might seem unlikely, but statistics show that heavy duty vehicles used on construction sites / commercial operations are also at risk of theft.
Tow trucks, diggers, and a variety of agriculture equipment, including converted vehicles (such as horse boxes), are regularly reported stolen.