‘Be vigilant’ warning as vehicle thefts soar

Tracking and recovery expert Inn-Track has revealed that vehicle theft is 74% higher than it was a decade ago.

And it is calling on drivers and fleet managers to up their game and take extra precautions to help tackle the thieves head-on.

Office for National Statistics data on ‘theft or unauthorised taking of a motor vehicle’ in England and Wales shows that 121,825 vehicles were taken during the year ending 31 March 2025 compared to 70,216 in the year ending 31 March 2015.

While there was a slight decline over the past 12 months compared to the previous year, the combined number of stolen vehicles across the last three years is 78% higher than the three-year period before 2015. The research also revealed that 68% of stolen vehicles are never recovered or returned to their owners.

The figures come despite proactive measures by police to tackle vehicle crime, including increased use of automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras, targeted operations to break up gangs and crackdowns on keyless entry thefts.

Neil Thomas at Inn-Track said: “These figures should set alarm bells ringing. It’s worrying to see criminals increasingly willing to steal vehicles and escape detection. Our advice is simple: don’t be complacent – invest in effective vehicle tracking and recovery solutions and stay vigilant. Government data shows that only 10% of vehicles stolen in 2024 had trackers.”