New Car Crime Data For Northern Ireland Revealed

The most prolific areas for vehicle crime in Northern Ireland have been revealed in new police figures.

Data gathered by motoring experts CompareNI.com shows there have been 3,110 vehicle thefts across the country over the last three years – with a further 2,815 incidents of items being stolen from vehicles.

The figures, obtained through a Freedom of Information request to the PSNI, also reveal that between April 2022- March 2025, Belfast made up a third of all vehicle theft offences (1,024) and almost half of all theft from vehicle offences (1,341).

Outside the capital, Newry, Mourne and Down District Council was the second hardest hit region with 297 vehicle thefts, with Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon coming a close third at 296 incidents.

At the other end of the scale, Ards and North Down ranks as the safest area to own a vehicle, with 136 stolen over the three-year-period, followed by Fermanagh and Omagh (149) Mid and East Antim (152).

When it comes to items being stolen from vehicles, Newry, Mourne and Down District Council was also the worst region outside Belfast, with 288 offences reported. That figure is three times higher than in Causeway Coast and Glens, which recorded the lowest number of thefts from vehicle offences at 96.

Encouragingly, while overall vehicle thefts across NI have risen slightly by 3% year-on-year, seven out of the 11 council areas have seen a drop in offences.

Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon showed the biggest decline, down 30% from 116 vehicles taken in 2023/24 to 81 in the most recent 12-month period.

Meanwhile, Lisburn and Castlereagh saw the sharpest increase in vehicle thefts during the same period – up by 54 per cent from 41 to 63.

When measured against other UK regions, Northern Ireland has a comparatively low rate of vehicle thefts per population, equating to 161 offences per 100,000 people. In contrast, the West Midlands has the highest rate of offences with 42,863 vehicles taken, which is 1,451 thefts per 100,000 people.

Ian Wilson, car insurance expert and Managing Director at CompareNI.com urged motorists to take action to help reduce the chances of vehicle crime.

He said: “Having your car or van broken into or stolen is not just distressing and inconvenient, it can have lasting financial repercussions, including higher insurance premiums, loss of your no-claims discount and the cost of replacing any personal belongings that may not be covered by insurance.

“While it is positive to see that vehicle crime has dropped in many parts of Northern Ireland over the last year, the number of overall offences has seen a small increase, and it remains a persistent issue in some areas – particularly in Belfast.

“If you are living in areas with higher rates of vehicle crime, you may find yourself paying more for insurance, due to the increased risk of theft or break-ins. While there isn’t much you can do about your location, there are some precautions you can take to make your vehicle less of a target to would-be thieves and help reduce the cost of your insurance.”