The UK’s hotspots have been revealed
London has been dubbed the UK’s car theft capital, according to a new study that analysed official police data. In 2024, the Metropolitan Police logged 34,000 instances of stolen vehicles across the city, equating to one theft for every 88 vehicles in the Greater London area.
The City of London Police also reported a similarly high rate of one theft for every 96 vehicles in the area, making London’s police forces the two highest ratios of vehicles per theft in the UK. This suggests that vehicle owners in the capital are most at risk of having their car nicked and should take extra precautions to keep it secure.
The figures were compiled by Go.Compare car insurance, which used official Home Office data and a Freedom of Information request to the UK’s police forces. These were combined with Department for Transport and DVLA figures on the number of registered vehicles in each area to calculate where thefts occur most frequently.
Essex, one of London’s neighbouring areas, was also identified as a significant hotspot for this crime. Approximately 5,700 vehicles were nicked in the county last year, equal to one theft for every 177 vehicles – the fifth highest ratio in the UK.
Yorkshire vehicle owners appear to be at risk, with two of the region’s areas featuring in the top 10. South Yorkshire experienced a total of 4,603 thefts in 2024, equating to one for every 167 vehicles, placing it fifth in the rankings.
West Yorkshire Police logged around 1,400 more thefts (6,029 in total), equivalent to one for every 227 vehicles – the UK’s sixth highest ratio.
The West Midlands recorded the third-highest ratio of thefts, with one for every 110 cars. Bedfordshire, Nottinghamshire, Durham and Leicestershire also ranked highly, each with a theft for every 250 to 260 vehicles in 2024.
The UK average was just one theft for every 287 vehicles, and approximately 133,000 vehicle thefts were reported across the country in total.
Worst areas for vehicle thefts by number of vehicles per theft
- London Metropolitan (Greater London) – 88
- City of London – 91
- West Midlands – 110
- South Yorkshire – 167
- Essex – 177
- West Yorkshire – 227
- Bedfordshire – 251
- Nottinghamshire – 255
- Durham – 259
- Leicestershire – 260
In contrast, several southern regions were found to be among the UK’s safest for vehicle thefts. Suffolk was named the most secure overall, with just 321 thefts reported in 2024. Equal to only one for every 1,752 vehicles, the county boasts by far the lowest ratio in the country.
Nearby Norfolk also had fewer instances of this crime, with just one theft for every 1,072 vehicles – the joint fifth lowest in the country. Other southern areas in the top 10 include Wiltshire, Gloucestershire and Devon and Cornwall.
Welsh regions also look to be safer for vehicle thefts. Dyfed Powys Police have the second-lowest ratio in the UK, with just one theft for every 1,666 vehicles in the area and 248 thefts overall. There were almost 200 more thefts reported by North Wales in 2024, but this is still only one for every 1,094 vehicles in the area – the UK’s fourth lowest ratio.
Safest areas for vehicle thefts by number of vehicles per theft
- Suffolk – 1,752
- Dyfed-Powys – 1,666
- Cumbria – 1,251
- North Wales – 1,094
- Northern Ireland – 1,072
- Norfolk – 1,072
- Wiltshire – 763
- Lincolnshire – 722
- Gloucestershire – 705
- Devon and Cornwall – 661
Steve Ramsey, managing editor for motoring at Go.Compare, said: “Our latest research clearly highlights that some areas are worse than others when it comes to car thefts. While there’s no need to panic if you live in one of the hotspots, you should take some extra steps to protect your car.
“Investing in anti-theft measures like a Thatcham-approved alarm, steering lock, or other gadgets can help keep it secure. Always park in well-lit, CCTV-monitored areas or in a garage if you can. Plus, keep your keys away from the front door and out of sight to avoid attracting thieves’ attention. It’s also important you get the right level of protection for your car, as third-party only policies don’t offer cover for theft.
“Unfortunately, crime rates do impact insurance prices, so you might pay a higher premium if you live in an area where car theft is more common. Claiming for a theft could result in increased costs, too, but comparing policies makes sure that the impact on your wallet is kept to a minimum.”
About the data
The findings were based on official police data, sourced via a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to UK police forces. For constabularies that didn’t provide data, figures were sourced from Home Office crime figures instead.
For each police force, the researchers divided the number of vehicle thefts reported in 2024 by the number of registered vehicles in the area at the end of Q2 2024 – the latest figures available at the time of writing – according to DVLA and DfT data (table VEH0105). This number was multiplied by 1,000 to give the number of thefts per thousand vehicles. The experts then divided 1,000 by this number to give the number of vehicles per theft.
The following constabularies didn’t provide a full data set from the Freedom of Information request and so Home Office figures were used instead: Northamptonshire Police, Essex Police, Hertfordshire Constabulary, City of London Police, Greater Manchester Police, Cumbria Police, Sussex Police, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary, Thames Valley Police, Devon and Cornwall Police, Gwent Police, Dyfed-Powys Police, North Wales Police, South Wales Police, Humberside Police and Police Scotland.