England’s worst car theft hotspots have been revealed as a wave of motoring crime sweeps the nation.
Data from the DVLA shows that thefts have risen sharply, reaching an all-time high in 2023.
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The worst hotspots for car crime in England and Wales have been revealed
Experts at CarMats have now ranked the areas of England and Wales which recorded the highest rates of theft that year.
The West Midlands was the worst region overall, with five of the top ten being within its borders.
The UK’s two largest cities – Manchester and Birmingham – were also represented, although London was not as it was divided into boroughs.
Perhaps surprisingly, only one area of the capital made the list, and that was Ilford in the east of the city.
Based on the top 10, the Far North and Wales were the best, with no representation in the table, while the South West made just one appearance – Bristol in 10th place.
Slough, Berkshire came third, with a theft rate of 0.36%.
It was narrowly overtaken by Birmingham with a rate of 0.37%.
The first place was then taken by the distance from nearby Solihull, which was 0.45%.
Luckily, the experts at CarMats were able to share some top tips for protecting your engine from scammers.
First of all, they urged Brits not to leave anything exposed when they park, even for a short time.
Items such as wallets, phones, sat navs and cash can attract the attention of thieves.
Second, they recommended investing in additional security measures to prevent attempts to steal your car.
Having access to a steering wheel lock or visible alarm can be a great way to deter criminals, while CCTV cameras in your garage or driveway can provide vital evidence to the cops if they corner your car.
Finally, experts have discovered a handy gadget that can help fight “keyless” thefts.
A spokesman said: “As technology becomes more sophisticated, so do criminals.
“Keyless car theft continues to rise, as thieves have advanced their approach and are using relay devices to unlock cars and override security systems.”
The relay device intercepts the signal from your key fob and recreates it, just as well as handing over the keys yourself.
And with the increasing number of keyless ignition systems, they won’t even have to connect a wire to the vehicle to drive it.
You can protect yourself from this by getting a Faraday bag to store your keys in.
A simple key cover blocks the signals emitted by your keys, so they can’t be picked up when not in use.
Faraday bags are available on Amazon from £8.
Categories: Optical Illusion
Source: HIS Education