Common items stolen from cars

The most common items stolen from cars

There are few things worse than getting back to your car and finding that the door has been forced open or a window has been smashed by thieves looking to get their hands on items that you’ve left inside.

Unfortunately, vehicle break-ins affect 19% - that’s almost one in five – of motorists each year in the UK.

So, what are the most common things stolen from cars? And what you can do to protect your possessions and your car from theft?

Read on to find out more about UK car theft and the steps you can take to keep your belongings safe:

Electrical items

It probably won’t surprise you to learn that electrical items top the list of most common items stolen from cars. Not only are they one of the easiest things to steal, but they can also fetch the highest resale value for opportunistic thieves.

31% of people who have had items stolen from cars have lost their car radio. The good news is that this type of theft is decreasing over time as vehicle security improves and technology evolves to replace traditional radios with DAB integrations and touchscreen pairing with mobile phones. But it’s still something car owners should consider; traditional car stereos can easily be removed from the dashboard by a knowledgeable thief in just a couple of minutes and more expensive equipment like speakers and amplifiers can still attract the wrong type of attention.

Car stereos are closely followed by SatNav theft. This is especially common with non-integrated satellite navigation systems that can be mounted on the windscreen and can be easily forgotten when you leave your car. When left on display, they can be easily stolen and resold. Be mindful not to leave tell-tale signs like a windscreen mount visible either as thieves may break in to check the glove box for a stored SatNav.

Finally, mobile phones left on display in parked cars are a prime target for passing thieves.

Shopping

You might not think that anybody would be interested in the contents of your weekly shop, but theft of shopping bags is surprisingly common. 17% of people who have had possessions stolen from cars in the UK have lost their shopping, sometimes lifted straight out of their boot when owners are carrying their other bags inside. While a bag of clothes or a pint of milk and loaf of bread won’t have much, if any, resale value for a criminal, this type of theft is usually perpetrated by opportunistic thieves passing by and trying their luck.

Car parts

While most items stolen from cars are things left on display, car parts can also be stolen by savvy thieves. They might take more effort than shopping bags or a stray mobile phone but sought-after manufacturer badges and ornaments like the Rolls Royce Spirit of Ecstasy silver figurine are often targeted. The same is true of wheels, especially if you’ve invested in alloy hubcaps, and number plates, which can be used to help disguise other stolen vehicles.

Catalytic converters are also becoming a more popular car part for thieves to target. This is part of the car’s exhaust system that’s valuable as scrap metal as it contains precious materials like platinum, palladium, and rhodium. While your car will probably still be able to run without its catalytic converter, missing it will likely cause you to fail an MOT emissions test.

How to prevent possessions being stolen from cars

When it comes to protecting your possessions, it’s best to err on the side of caution. Many opportunistic thieves will look out for items left on display so make sure you don’t leave anything valuable in your car. Take bags, portable electrical items, and any other items that could provide temptation with you when you leave your car or at least make sure they’re tucked away and hidden out of sight in your boot or glove box.

You can also try to deter thieves by parking in a secure garage or choosing a well-lit, busy area with plenty of witnesses around. Consider installing a car alarm if you don’t already have one fitted and investigate anti-theft measures like locking wheel nuts and anti-tamper screws to keep your car parts safe.

Should I make an insurance claim if my possessions are stolen?

So, you’ve had one of those days, parked up, headed inside, and left your phone, handbag, or SatNav out in the open on your passenger seat. You wake up the next morning and, yes, unfortunately, your window has been smashed and your possessions have been stolen.

What next?  

Your first step should always be to call the police. Then, depending on the value of the items, you might want to make an insurance claim.

You’ll likely have two options available: claim on your home contents insurance or your car insurance. It might make more financial sense to use your contents instead of your car insurance if you’re at risk of losing your no claims bonus. Losing your no claims – especially one that’s taken years to build – could bump up the price of your premiums so much so that you end up losing more money than if you’d just paid to replace the items out of pocket.

Car theft UK

Sometimes, it’s not just the items inside your car that get stolen, you can lose your whole car! If you’ve ever been the victim of car theft, you’re not alone. 74,769 vehicles were reported stolen in the UK in 2020, up 33% from 2019. UK car theft tends to be more common in big cities and London has seen the biggest increase in recent years: up 256% in the past four years.

And, unfortunately, once they’re gone, they’re gone: 72% of stolen vehicles aren’t ever recovered.

It’s not a trend that’s likely to slow down any time soon; the lack of new cars on the market has only inflated demand for used cars. Nearly new cars are the most popular with thieves, probably for their resale value, and 37% of those stolen in 2020 were between one and five years old.

Almost any make or model can become a target, but the Ford Fiesta is the most stolen car in the UK with 3392 reported missing in 2020. Prestige brands are also commonly targeted: Range Rover, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi models regularly occupy spots on top 10 most stolen UK cars lists.

But it’s not all bad news; if you’re the lucky owner of an Alfa Romeo or Volvo XC40, then your car model is the least likely to be stolen.

One of the reasons why prestige cars are becoming easier to steal is keyless entry. 94% of vehicles stolen were taken without using the owner’s keys. While hotwiring still happens, thieves can use a relay device to hack the fob signal in keyless systems, open the car, and drive away.

How to prevent car theft

There are a few steps you can take to help prevent your car from being stolen.

• Choose your parking place carefully
  
  76% of stolen cars are taken from the street so, just like keeping your property safe, parking in a well-lit, busy area or in a secure, locked garage can help to deter thieves. This is especially important overnight when 81% of vehicles are stolen.
  
  
• Store your keys out of sight
  
  While keyless entry is becoming more popular, keeping your car keys out of sight can make it more difficult for thieves to get hold of them. Burglars have been known to use tools to get to keys that have been hung up close to letterboxes or on a shelf near the door.
  
  
• Invest in a Faraday pouch
  
  If you do have keyless entry and start enabled, this system can be protected by using electronic car key security bags known as Faraday pouches. These pouches are lined with layers of metallic material that can block a key’s signal from reaching the outside world.

• Install an alarm and tracker system
  
  A loud car alarm can spook a thief, especially if you park in a built-up, busy area. But if the worst does happen, then having a tracker system installed in your car could increase the chances of it being recovered and returned to the police.

What to do if your car’s been stolen

First things first, take a deep breath. Having your car stolen can feel like a gut punch, but don’t forget, this situation is why you have insurance in place. We know that cars can hold a lot of sentimental value as well as being an everyday essential for most drivers but try to reassure yourself that it’s just a piece of metal that can be replaced.

The next step is to report the theft to the police and your insurance company.

Dial 101 and ask to be put through to your local police force. You’ll be asked to provide your car’s registration number, make, model, and colour. They’ll then give you a crime reference number, which you’ll need to pass on to your insurer.

How to make an insurance claim for a stolen car

Once you’ve reported your stolen car to the police, you’ll have a crime reference number. You’ll need this to make a claim with your insurance company. Contact them directly and they’ll let you know the steps you should take to submit your claim.

In some cases, your insurer might wait to see if the car is found before settling. If they’ve already settled your claim and then the car does turn up, then they’ll keep it. When you receive a pay out, your vehicle officially becomes the property of the insurer, and you must contact the DVLA to let them know.

Assuming you’ve kept up with your premiums, the insurer should pay you the car’s market value.

Checking whether your car has been stolen

While no-one sets out to buy a stolen car, it can happen. If you’re buying a used car from a private seller, it’s a good idea to check if the car’s stolen before finalising the deal.

To check if a car is stolen, you should look over the V5C registration document. Be wary if the person selling the car isn’t listed as its registered keeper. If there’s no V5C at all, walk away from the purchase. This is also a situation where you should trust your instincts; if the car’s price seems like it’s too good to be true, then it probably is. Finally, check that any VIN/chassis numbers on the car match.

If you’d like to go a step further, there are several stolen car checker tools available online. These can typically tell whether the vehicle is currently recorded as stolen by the police, whether it’s been declared a write-off by an insurance company, has outstanding finance, or has a registration plate that doesn’t match the VIN.

Buying a car with outstanding finance

Used cars shouldn’t be sold with outstanding finance but, in rare situations where this might happen or the car has been stolen, you could end up buying one unknowingly.

The good news is that, assuming you bought the car in good faith and didn’t know there was still car finance left to pay, you have the right to keep the car.

It’s likely that the finance company will launch an investigation to double-check that you were really in the dark about the situation and they’ll then decide who’s responsible for paying off the finance. That’s usually the person who signed up for the agreement in the first place, but there is a chance that they might conclude you’re liable instead.

If that does happen, we recommend seeking independent legal advice or contacting the Financial Ombudsman.

To be certain, you can take advantage of online car finance checker tools, which are able to let you know immediately whether there is any outstanding finance remaining on the vehicle.

Replacing a stolen car

Are you ready to find a new car? Whether you’re looking for the same make and model as the car that’s been stolen or something different, CarFinance 247 can help. If you would like to upgrade, we can help you find finance for cars from our panel of lenders. You may wish to use your insurance pay out as a deposit in a deal for a newer vehicle – just let your account manager what you’re looking for and they can help you find a car, negotiate with the dealer on your behalf, and process all the paperwork!