Home Office data reveals that just 2.2% of all vehicle thefts result in criminal charges

New Government figures have revealed that the vast majority of car thieves avoid any criminal charges for their actions.

Data from the Home Office showed that just 2.12% of all vehicles stolen from July 2022 to June 2023 were arrested and charged by police.

In recent years, criminals have started using modern technology to steal vehicles.

Some use tracking devices to target certain drivers, while others use car hacking for vehicles that have keyless systems.

The information was acquired by Nextbase through FOI request and covered England and Wales.

Analysis of the data showed that the areas where you are most likely to see a conviction are City of London (9.38%), Norfolk (7.68%), Suffolk (5.31%), Surrey (5.2%), and North Wales (5.11%).

The least likely places where a car thief will be convicted are Warwickshire (0.94%), Bedfordshire (1.21%), Essex (1.31%), Wiltshire (1.54%), and Hampshire (1.62%).

October 2022 saw the highest number of total thefts, with 9,736, Followed by November 2022 (9,392) and September 2022 (9,120).

August 2022 saw the highest average conviction rate with 2.88% - and May 2023 saw the lowest average of 1.21% across England and Wales.

Over the 12-month period there was a steady decline in conviction rate.

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In total, there were 104,678 reported vehicle thefts from July 2022 to June 2023 – and just 2,215 individuals were caught and convicted of criminal charges.

This represents just a 2.12% conviction rate for car thefts in England and Wales over a 12-month period.

Bryn Brooker, Head of Road Safety at Nextbase, said: “Criminals would not be stealing this many cars if they had a higher chance of getting prosecuted.

“Police do what they can but are stretched and need your help, especially given the vulnerabilities of some modern cars to relay theft.”

Last month, the DVLA provided This is Money with the top 10 most stolen cars of 2023.

The Ford Fiesta was the most stolen vehicle, with 5,976 taken by thieves. This was followed by Ford Focus (2,120) and the Volkswagen Golf (2,028).

Mercedes-Benz C-Class (1,786), Range Rover Sport (1,631), Range Rover Evoque (1,498), BMW 3 Series (1,466), Vauxhall Corsa (1,110), Vauxhall Astra (1,086) and Land Rover Discover Sport (954) made up the list.

What do you make of the FOI data? Are you concerned about the rise in car thefts? What can be done? Leave your comments below.