Organised Vehicle Theft in the UK

In the 20 years before 2013, the number of vehicle thefts in the UK declined. This trend has since reversed. Data from the UK Home Office indicates that incidences of vehicle theft have risen by 75% in the past decade. This increase – combined with the emergence of new, technologically enabled methods of stealing vehicles and the export of stolen vehicles to international markets – has led to speculation on the organisation and professionalisation of contemporary vehicle theft. Both law enforcement and the vehicle manufacturing industry are aware of these developments. However, little research has been carried out on the subject, particularly within a UK-specific context.

This paper is the first open access and contemporary analysis of typologies, trends and responses to vehicle theft in the UK. Its analysis of the evolving dynamics of vehicle theft and the markets that underpin it aims to inform policymakers, law enforcement and the private sector. The paper also explores claims of criminal convergence and provides novel typologies of vehicle theft and an overview of the obstacles that law enforcement and the private sector face.

The research findings depict a vehicle security ecosystem that has less resilience and fewer resources than before. Manufacturers are caught in an expensive ‘arms race’ in the face of rapid technological innovation by criminals, a problem exacerbated by legislative loopholes. The negative impacts of under-resourcing, de-prioritisation and cross-jurisdictional constraints on law enforcement create further problems.

The paper provides wide-ranging, cross-sectoral recommendations. These include promoting preventive action across sectors, pursuing alternative and innovative funding models for a national coordination architecture to counter vehicle theft, and urgently filling existing research and intelligence gaps. Each recommendation addresses existing weaknesses identified in the research. Taken together, they form the basis of a preventive, effective and sustainable response.