Recent statistics have unveiled that 75% of car theft cases remained unresolved last year.
The House of Commons library data has disclosed that an alarming 76% of car theft incidents went unsolved in the previous year, with the Metropolitan police force having the lowest success rate at 88% of cases unsolved.
The British Transport Police, South Yorkshire, City of London, Sussex, and Warwickshire police forces have all reported over 80% of car theft cases unsolved. Among the 44 police forces in England and Wales, a significant 35 forces had a combined unsolved rate of 60%.
Vehicle crime saw a 12% decrease in the year ending June 2025, with a 7% drop in vehicle theft. Additionally, new legislation is being introduced to prohibit electronic tools that can bypass a car’s security, with offenders facing up to five years in prison for their use.
The Liberal Democrats are advocating for the establishment of a specialized team within the National Crime Agency to collate data from automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras, insurance records, and intelligence from law enforcement and border control to target organized car crime networks.
Max Wilkinson MP, the Lib Dem home affairs spokesman, expressed concern over the lack of support for crime victims and called for a crackdown on car theft to apprehend organized criminal groups.
A spokesperson from the Home Office emphasized that vehicle theft has detrimental effects on individuals, families, businesses, and the broader industry, underscoring the government and police’s commitment to combatting these crimes through legislative measures and collaborative efforts with the industry.