Owners of premium and luxury cars are more at risk of finding their vehicle stolen, claims to new research.
According to data held by Tracker, obtained by Confused.com, the Range Rover Sport was the most stolen and recovered vehicle in 2019, with the Top 10 list consisting only of prestige brand cars.
Fortunately for drivers whose cars were recovered by Tracker, their vehicles were installed with a system to help them get their car back. However, not all drivers have been so lucky.
According to additional Confused.com research, more than one in eight (13%) UK drivers have had their vehicle stolen, with a further one in three (33%) having had items stolen from their vehicle.
Overall, there’s been a 53% increase in car thefts in the past five years in England and Wales, suggesting that new, premium-technology cars aren’t as secure as you might expect.
And with cars currently sat on driveways or down side streets for long periods of time under lockdown guidance, it’s no surprise one in six (16%) drivers feel more at risk of theft at the moment.
In total, Tracker’s systems recovered £13m worth of cars in 2019 alone, with Range Rover, BMW and Mercedes-Benz among the most targeted models
Top 10 cars stolen and recovered in 2019
- Range Rover Sport
- BMW X5
- Mercedes-Benz C Class
- Range Rover Vogue
- Land Rover Discovery
- BMW X6
- Range Rover Evoque
- BMW 3 Series
- Range Rover Autobiography
- Mercedes-Benz E Class
“New cars are installed with a lot of intelligent technology, but this doesn’t mean they’re protected from being stolen,” said Alex Kindred of Confused.com.
“It’s clear car thieves are able to bypass the systems, as car thefts have increased drastically over the past few years.
“This proves how important it is to make sure we’re doing everything we can to protect our cars. While it might be confusing to know what we can do, our expert guide suggests it can be something as simple as choosing a more secure place to park. A driveway or well-lit area is more likely to deter thieves.”
Find out more about car security with these eight great tips to keep your motor safe.
