Autumn is peak season for vehicle thefts

British motorists are being warned to take extra precautions against motor theft, as findings from a new survey on car crime indicate that September, October and November are the most popular months for vehicle theft.

The survey is based on claims data over the last three years from Norwich Union, the UK’s largest insurer, and found that despite an overall decrease year-on-year in the number of vehicles being stolen, car thefts peak in the Autumn months.

Nigel Bartram, motor underwriting manager, Norwich Union, explained, “The sustained increase in car theft over the Autumn months can be attributed to a few key factors. Most obvious is the shorter daylight hours – we all know that thieves prefer to work in the dark. And, after enjoying the summer evenings outdoors, many of us look forward to spending time indoors, which in many cases means we’re not using our car as much in the evenings. We also see claims where cars have had pre-Christmas shopping in them – so the thief has made away with the car and Christmas gifts for friends and family!”

Norwich Union’s survey also reveals the changing face of motor crime in the UK. Nigel said, “Thieves are increasingly stealing cars for a much wider variety of purposes than a quick sale. Many stolen vehicles are stripped for parts. It’s no coincidence that the top ten cars stolen in our survey have hundreds or even thousands of used spare parts available from private sellers online.

“It seems that in some instances it’s easier to steal the car than just the contents inside. For example, we have claims where a car has been reported stolen from a supermarket car park – fully loaded with the weekly shop – only for the vehicle to end up abandoned a mile or two away – minus the groceries.

“We’ve also recovered a number of stolen vehicles in Blackpool and other seaside resorts – evidence that some thieves look at stealing a car as an alternative to public transport – they use it as one-way transportation to their holiday destination of choice.”

Norwich Union, which insures more than 1 in 7 cars on the road, said its Car Crime Survey shows that Sheffield is the UK’s number one hotspot for vehicle theft, as car owners there are more than five times as likely to have their vehicle stolen than anywhere else in the UK.

Findings from the survey indicate that vehicle theft is largely polarised, with more than 80 per cent of motor theft made up of older vehicles (7 years or more), though there is a slight increase in the number of new high value prestige cars reported stolen.Newer cars from mid-market manufacturers are proving too difficult to steal, and don’t justify the risk for car thieves.

Nigel explains, “In 1997, new cars began being fitted with an immobiliser as standard, which has greatly reduced thefts of newer cars. Owners of vehicles that do not have an immobiliser should consider fitting a Thatcham approved Category 2 immobiliser: even though the monetary value of some older vehicles isn’t that great, in many cases, the inconvenience and emotional upset in the incidence of a theft outweighs the vehicle’s value.”

Nigel concludes, “Whilst we are pleased to see a continued improvement in the decline in numbers of stolen vehicles, we would urge all motorists to follow the basic steps of vehicle security and continue to be vigilant with their vehicle – especially as the ‘peak season’ for car theft is upon us.”