Thatcham Research’s joint-investigation with the National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service (NaVCIS) has revealed the international scale of the UK’s stolen vehicle problem.

Despite the UK’s world-leading vehicle security standards, organised criminal networks are targeting premium vehicles for illegal export, with a vehicle stolen every five minutes in 2024.

Top destinations for stolen UK vehicles include the Democratic Republic of Congo, UAE, Cyprus, Jamaica, and Georgia, driven by global shortages of car parts, high vehicle desirability, and geopolitical disruption. Notably, SUVs comprised 79% of intercepted exports, and luxury brands made up over half of recovered vehicles.

With insurers settling £640 million in claims in 2024 alone, Thatcham Research is calling for collaborative action to develop secure remote immobilisation technologies and systems that prevent re-use of stolen parts.

Richard Billyeald, Chief Research and Operations Officer at Thatcham Research, said: “Raising vehicle security alone will not prevent thefts, we believe that beating these criminals requires cooperation between government agencies, vehicle manufacturers and ourselves to reduce the value of stolen assets and therefore the incentive to steal them.

“We will continue to work with vehicle makers to improve vehicle security and establish how to remotely disable stolen vehicles in a safe manner, as well as making stolen parts more difficult to reuse.”

The full release can be found on our press site: Thatcham Research reveals global connections driving the UK’s stolen vehicle problem

The full Theft Pathways report is available to members on AIQ.