Vehicle thefts down during the pandemic

The total number of stolen vehicles in the UK dropped by nearly 15% in 2020 while many of us were at home and able to watch over our cars due to the pandemic, according to new research.

Insurer comparethemarket.com analysed data from 26 police forces, revealing that 61,743 vehicles were stolen over the last two years – 28,454 in 2020, compared to 33,289 in 2019.

Overall, the West Midlands fell victim to the most crimes in the past two years. However, it’s Birmingham West that ranks top for the total number of offences, despite thefts in 2020 decreasing by nearly 21% compared to 2019.

While theft rates in Liverpool, Sheffield and Birmingham East also decreased last year, Doncaster saw thefts increase by 8%.

Top 10 vehicle theft hotspots

Rank	Location	2019 thefts	2020 thefts	Total
1	Birmingham West	1,730	1,375	3,105
2	Liverpool	1,276	1,062	2,338
3	Sheffield	1,199	1,123	2,322
4	Birmingham East	1,050	991	2,041
5	Doncaster	739	796	1,535
6	Sandwell	726	748	1,474
7	Brighton and Hove	672	590	1,262
8	Rotherham	557	615	1,172
9	Luton Borough	679	486	1,165
10	Coventry	506	608	1,114

Range Rover and Land Rover topped the league table for the most stolen and recovered vehicles across the UK.

Read the full breakdown of the Top 20 theft hotspots and tips on keeping your vehicle safe…