Britain's car-theft hot spots

If you drive a Ford Fiesta or a Volkswagen Golf and live in London or the Midlands, you are more likely to be a victim of vehicle-related theft than anyone else in the country, according to online car insurance company, swiftcover.com.

The insurer has compiled a list of the ‘most likely' victims of vehicle-related theft from its claims database from April 2007 - April 2008. The figures incorporate both theft (attempted and actual) of the vehicle itself and personal belongings.

Unfortunately, the figures show that only just under half of victims ever see their car or belongings again - and of those who do, nearly half (48 per cent) will have suffered damage, showing how important it is to take proper security precautions.

Unsurprisingly, the dark nights of winter seemed to have proved a happy hunting ground for thieves, with vehicle-related claims nine per cent higher through the months from October to March, compared to April to September.

But there's relatively good news for people living in Scotland and the Borders, as swiftcover.com's figures showed that they were least likely to have their car or belongings stolen last year.

Robin Reames, claims director of swiftcover.com, comments: "Whether you live in a busy town, leafy suburbs or sleepy village, always keep your car secure even for just a few minutes. It's amazing how many people leave their keys in the ignition whilst de-frosting the car, or pop into the post office leaving their car windows open. It's just an open invitation to opportunistic thieves."

Summary of research findings

Most popular car makes for thieves

1) Ford Fiesta
2) Volkswagen Golf
3) Vauxhall Astra
4) Vauxhall Corsa
5) Nissan Micra

Most common locations for car thieves

1) London
2) Midlands
3) North West
4) Yorkshire
5) Southern counties

Most common types of theft

1) Vehicle stolen and unrecovered
48.7%

2) Vehicle stolen and recovered damaged
24.5%

3) Attempted vehicle theft
12.0%

4) Theft of keys
6%

5) Theft of personal effects
5.4%

In order to help motorists secure their cars against thieves, swiftcover.com has put together a handy list of Do's and Don'ts:

Do

Consider taking out extra insurance cover, such as swiftcover.com's gadget cover for just £29.99 a month
Invest in security equipment like wheel-locks and immobilisers, alarms and trackers,
Remove your Sat Nav and stereo/CD player when you leave your car
Consider etching your vehicle ID number onto surfaces
Before buying, check the vehicle you are interested in is not stolen. Visit www.direct.gov.uk for more information

Don't

Don't leave your belongings visible on the seat or dashboard - even if it's only for 10 minutes
Don't leave windows, doors or sunroofs open
Don't leave your car unattended with the key in the ignition
Don't leave your car keys where they could be stolen - e.g. on your hall table
Don't leave your car in badly lit or poorly visible places