Drivers warned popular car owned by 4.2 million in UK is 'most commonly stolen'
Tesco Bank has revealed that the most commonly stolen vehicle in the UK is a car owned by a whopping FOUR MILLION motorists. Overall, Fords are still the most commonly stolen make, accounting for nearly one fifth of Tesco Bank’s car theft claims.
Black, grey and white are the most commonly claimed for colour of car, Tesco said. Ford motor vehicles continue to be a top target for theft, accounting for 16 per centvof theft claims in the last 12 months according to an analysis of Tesco Bank’s internal data.
Land Rovers retain second place, accounting for 16 per cent of claims, followed by Mercedes (9%), BMWs (8%) and Toyotas, which have entered the top five ranking (5%), overtaking Vauxhalls. With 3.1 million Vauxhalls and 4.2 million Fords on UK roads, this means that one in every four cars (25%) is either a Ford or a Vauxhall.
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Vehicles between five and nine years old are responsible for over half of all claims (52%), followed by vehicles that are ten to fourteen years old (23%), and relatively new cars between zero and four years old (15%). When looking at the colour of cars that are most likely to disappear from behind their owners’ backs, it’s black vehicles that are mostly commonly reported stolen, accounting for a quarter (27%) of claims made to Tesco Bank’s Car Insurance claims team in 2023/24, followed by grey (18%) and white (17%).
Owners of black and grey Land Rovers should be paying the most attention to potential thieves, with thefts of black Land Rovers accounting for 6% of claims, closely followed by grey Land Rovers (4%), surpassing blue Fords which took second place for colour and make combinations last year.
Dave Thompson, Claims Director at Tesco Bank commented: “Car thieves, and the tactics they adopt, are becoming increasingly sophisticated. With devices that can connect key fob signals and unlock cars remotely, thieves can snatch a car off the driveway in a matter of seconds. Land Rovers and Fords are firmly in thieves’ sights, and while Land Rovers are sought after and can be sold on quickly, some models like Fords can be broken down pretty much overnight and sold on for parts the next morning. It’s not just the cars themselves that thieves may set their sights on. Other high value parts, such as the steering wheels, car appliances, bumpers, and exhausts can be resold relatively easily.
“While it’s hard to stop, there are some things drivers can do to make it less likely that their car will disappear in the night.”