News Published on : 31-May-2022 10:38:18

Last year (2021) saw £ 71.2 million of car parts stolen reveals new research from Direct Line Motor Insurance.1 Over the past three years the total value of stolen cars and parts has reached £ 744 million the equivalent of nearly £ 680 000 being stolen every day. With many drivers returning to the road post pandemic the insurer is urging motorists to take extra steps to protect their vehicle and its parts. The research obtained from local policing authorities in the UK via a Freedom of Information Act found that last year an estimated 474 600 parts were stolen from vehicles. The most common car part stolen is the number plate with a huge 53 400 stolen from vehicles last year. The rise of CCTV and ANPR cameras has led to a rise in criminals stealing number plates to put on another vehicle which they may use to commit an offence trying to minimise the risk of detection. The second most stolen parts were catalytic converters the exhaust emission control device also known as CATs with 39 900 taken by car thieves. It was catalytic converters that were found to be the most expensive part stolen with the total value of items taken since 2019 costing over £ 16 million. According to the Metropolitan Police Service catalytic converters are often targeted by thieves as they contain valuable metals and can be removed in less than a minute. 2 Direct Line has partnered with the University of Huddersfield on a new Truth about Car Theft campaign which includes detailed academic research3 amongst prolific car thieves to understand the motive means and opportunities for vehicle crime to help motorists reduce the risk of falling victim to these criminals. The academic research found that vehicle parts were key targets for car thieves considered by some to be more profitable method than selling a car on without the effort of concealing the vehicle s identity. The increase in value of catalytic converters in recent years has seen these become a greater target. One convicted car thief said: CATs are worth good money all day long. I know...ones.minimum £ 150. Even if you re just doing them in a night you could get 30 or 40.