UK’s most stolen cars revealed

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 since the supermini is the UK’s perennial best-seller, with 49,174 new Fiestas registered last year alone.

The second-most stolen car last year may raise more eyebrows, as this was the considerably rarer and more expensive Range Rover, of which 2,881 were taken. The Range Rover is susceptible both to covetous glances and expensive parts, but its maker, Land Rover, said that not only do “Land Rover vehicles conform 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 vehicle thefts.”

Land Rover also highlighted that it "is one of the first manufacturers to successfully protect its new vehicles against relay attack, which has been independently verified by the ADAC and Which? in 2019."

Meanwhile, the third-most stolen car in 2020 was the UK’s third-best-selling car, too, with 1,975 Volkswagen Golfs falling into criminals’ hands.

The data comes from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) and was obtained by Rivervale Leasing via a Freedom of Information request. The figures also reveal 74,769 vehicles were notified to by the police to DVLA as being stolen in 2020 according to DVLA records. This is nearly 20,000 more than in 2019, and equivalent to 205 thefts per day.

According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), 72 per cent of stolen vehicles are not returned to their owners. Furthermore, the ONS says 36 per cent of stolen vehicles are taken via keyless theft, where thieves use a relay device to unlock a car and start its engine in a matter of seconds without having to physically break in.

Meanwhile, 24 per cent of car thefts involve the offender stealing the driver’s key, with experts advising drivers to keep car keys out of sight, and away from windows. Drivers are also advised to park in well-lit areas, as 80 per cent of vehicle thefts occur in the evening or at night.

Have you been the victim of car theft? Let us know in the comments below...