The Cambridgeshire town where drivers are more at risk of their car being stolen

The odds of your car being stolen varies greatly depending on where you live - and our map reveals the riskiest parts of Cambridgeshire to park. Based on police-recorded crime figures, 1,351 cars, vans, motorbikes, and other vehicles were reported stolen in Cambridgeshire in the year ending July 2024.

That was 6.8 percent fewer than the previous year (1,449), but 21.6 percent higher than in the 12 months to July 2022, when there were 1,111 crime reports of stolen vehicles. However, cars parked in some parts of our area were far more at risk from thieves than others.

Using vehicle licensing figures showing the number of cars, vans, and motorbikes registered in each area, it’s possible to roughly estimate the likelihood of a vehicle being stolen. Peterborough saw more vehicle thefts than anywhere else in Cambridgeshire, with 1,280 crime reports in the last three years.

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That amounted to 0.2 percent of cars, vans, and motorbikes registered in Peterborough or the equivalent of around one theft for every 556 vehicles. But vehicles owned by people living in Cambridge were most at risk from thieves.

Owners in that area faced odds of 172/1 that their car, motorbike, or van would be stolen within three years. That means vehicle theft is more than twice as likely in Cambridge as it is in Fenland, the area with the next highest risk and odds of 400/1.

Drivers and riders in East Cambridge were at the lowest risk of losing their vehicles to thieves, with odds of 909/1. You can see an odds estimate of how likely it is that your car could be stolen using our interactive map here:

According to the RAC, as technology has evolved and cars have become more capable, so have the criminals targeting them. For example, rising numbers of car owners have fallen victim to a “relay attack”.

This involves two thieves working together using electronic relay devices. One criminal uses a device to receive a key signal from inside a home, which is then transferred to a second box placed next to the car which tricks the car into “thinking” the key is there, allowing them to unlock the vehicle and drive it away.

The RAC advises drivers to:

• Always ensure your car is locked - but don’t simply rely on the key fob, as some thieves use “jammers” to intercept the signal between the fob and car, leaving the vehicle unlocked and vulnerable.

• Place keys inside a metal box at home, which will block the signal and protect your vehicle from a relay attack.

• Park somewhere well-lit and open to public view. If you use a car park, try to find one that’s security patrolled and covered by CCTV.

• At the shops or in a busy town centre car park, park close other shoppers rather than away from other cars.

• Add a car alarm, immobiliser, or tracking advice, and use a steering wheel lock.

• Take good care of your keys, keep them out of sight and never leave them unattended. Avoid keeping keys in the porch or hallway - thieves have been known to use wire to snatch keys through a letterbox.

• Close your windows and lock your doors if you are stuck in a jam or in slow-moving traffic.

• Don’t leave your logbook or service record in your car.

• Never leave your car running, for example, to de-ice windows on a frosty morning.