Car crime, ranging from vehicle theft, break-ins and unreported damage, continues to blight UK motorists, according to new research from The Green Insurer, which is focused on helping drivers reduce carbon emissions and drive in a more environmentally friendly way. The findings reveal that one in six (17%) UK car owners has been the victim of car crime in the past three years, this figure doubles to 34% in London. Motorists living in the East of England were the least likely to have suffered car crime, with only 7% saying they had been a victim.
One in three (31%) Brits believe that car crime has increased in their area over the past three years, compared with just 14% who think that it has decreased. The research highlights that 30% of people are aware of vehicle crime having taken place in their street or immediate local area, this figure rises to a staggering one in two (49%) Londoners who state their area has been a target for car crime.
In terms of the type of local car crime experienced by Brits, the most common was car break-ins (stated by 13%), followed by smashed windows or malicious damage to paintwork (8%), unreported damage by another vehicle (6%), car stolen from outside home (6%), theft of catalytic converter (4%) and tyres being slashed (4%).
VEHICLE DEFENCE STRATEGIES
The findings reveal that Brits are taking steps to fight back against the crime with more than one in two (56%) saying they are taking various measures to try and prevent their cars being targeted by criminals. The most popular action being taken is to install security cameras (22%), followed by keeping their keys in a Faraday pouch or similar signal-blocking container to prevent key cloning (14%) and having a tracking device on their car (14%).
Paul Baxter, CEO, The Green Insurer, said: “Our findings reveal that UK motorists have real concerns about the escalation in car crime that they’ve witnessed over the past three years. Thieves have become increasingly sophisticated, using electronic devices to bypass keyless entry, and targeting high-value parts such as catalytic converters. In particular, our research shows that motorists living in urban areas, such as London, have become lucrative targets for many criminals.
“Unsurprisingly, many car owners are fighting back and taking their own preventative measures, including installing security cameras, steering wheel locks and even retractable driveway bollards, to try and best secure their vehicles.
“In addition to these steps that require in some cases considerable financial investment, there are other routine habits that drivers should always try to heed, such as never leaving their keys in the ignition and double checking their car is locked, even if they’re leaving it unattended for a short time. We also advise motorists to park their car in well-lit, populated areas and to store any valuables or bags out of sight.”
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