We are the ‘safest area in England and Wales for car thefts’

Research has revealed that out of the whole of England and Wales, the Dyfed-Powys Police area is the place where drivers can be most confident that their car won’t get stolen.

Figures show that 623 vehicle thefts occurred in 2021, just 1.2 cars stolen per thousand households.  

The study, conducted by A-Plan Insurance and agreed by the local force, was carried out by assessing Home Office data of vehicle thefts in each Police Force Area and determining the rate according to the number of thefts per household. 

With 100,185 cars stolen in London in 2021, England’s capital had 11.1. vehicle thefts per thousand households. This puts it first for the area where drivers are most likely to be the victims of vehicle theft. 

The West Midlands comes second for its vehicle crime rate, with 10.4 vehicle thefts per thousand households (30,608 cars stolen in 2021), while Greater Manchester had nine cars stolen per thousand households (25,495 vehicle thefts), making it the third most dangerous place to own a car. 

At the other end of the table and just above Dyfed-Powys, Cumbria and North Yorkshire are also some of the least likely areas for vehicle theft, with 727 and 1,433 cars stolen respectively in 2021. That’s 1.5 vehicle thefts per thousand households in Cumbria and 1.7 in North Yorkshire.

The research also analysed data from 2020, to determine whether vehicle thefts have increased or decreased in each Police Force Area since last year, finding that although London is still the worst place for vehicle theft, the crime rate is improving.

Compared to 2020, car thefts in the capital are down by 9%, however, it’s a different story in the West Midlands, with 12% more vehicles stolen in 2021. 

Hampshire saw vehicle theft increase the most, with 22% more cars stolen in 2021 than in 2020. 

The full results of the research are as follows: 

Information provided by: https://www.aplan.co.uk/