LONDON: A car is being stolen every four minutes in the United Kingdom, while only 3% of vehicle theft cases resulted in a suspect being charged or issued a court summons last year, according to a report by the British Home Office.
The report highlights a sharp rise in vehicle-related crime, saying incidents have increased by nearly 50% over the past decade. It also raises concerns about the police's ability to tackle increasingly sophisticated criminal networks.
An investigation into rising crime and efforts to combat it found that police forces have the expertise and experience needed to investigate vehicle theft, but heavy workloads and a shortage of resources are hampering their efforts.
According to the report, criminal networks are becoming more sophisticated as technology advances, making it increasingly difficult for police to identify and apprehend offenders. The low rate of successful prosecutions is also encouraging vehicle thieves, the report said.
The report said vehicle theft, once often driven by opportunism or joyriding, has evolved into a profitable criminal enterprise.
Investigators also found that some vehicles are stolen to order, with many shipped overseas. Others are taken to illegal workshops known as chop shops, where they are dismantled within hours and their parts sold separately, making it difficult for authorities to trace the stolen vehicles.
The growing number of vehicle thefts has also contributed to rising insurance costs. Car insurance premiums in the UK have increased by 82% since 2021, according to the report.
