Shropshire Star

Thefts from vehicles increase for more than half of police forces

Data from 42 police forces shows over half saw reports of thefts from vehicles rise from 2015 to 2016

Published

The number of vehicles broken into in 2016 rose in more than half the country’s police force regions compared with 2015.

The figures, obtained from Freedom of Information requests by RAC Insurance to constabularies across the country, saw numbers rise in 26 out of 42 forces that replied.

City of London Police saw the biggest increase, with 2016’s figures 76 per cent higher than 2015’s. But with only 126 incidents reported in total over the two years, the figures don’t contribute a great deal to theft statistics in the UK as a whole. The force dealt with 81 thefts in 2016 – 35 more than the 46 it saw in 2015.

(PA)
(PA)

Second-placed Northamptonshire Police saw a 41 per cent rise in 2016 compared with the previous year. A total of 4,043 thefts from vehicles was reported in 2016, with just 2,864 the year before.

Only one force’s figures remained relatively static – Lincolnshire Police recorded three more thefts in 2016 than 2015, with 1,960 reported over 1,957 the year before.

Vehicle theft was up by four per cent across the country in 2016 compared with 2015. Nationwide, 239,920 thefts from vehicles were reported in 2016 – 8,698 more than 2015’s figure of 231,222.

However, this represented a nine per cent reduction when compared with 2013 (263,574), showing a general downward trend. When comparing 2016 to 2013, only 12 forces reported an increase in vehicle theft reports.

Police from 44 constabularies were questioned regarding the figures. Responses were received from 42 forces for 2015-2016, and 40 forces for 2013-2016.

(PA)
(PA)

Director of RAC Insurance Mark Godfrey said: “Even though police data shows the number of thefts from vehicles has fallen by nine per cent in the three years from 2013, it is very worrying to see that more than half of British police forces have witnessed a rise in this type of crime from 2015 to 2016.

“The old adage of making sure nothing of value is left on display inside a car is still as valid as ever, but it is also important when parking in public places to try to opt for well-lit and well-used spots so as to make it harder for criminals to break in without being seen.”

By Tom Wiltshire

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