Cases of car theft have risen by 5% in the past year, according to recent data from the DVLA, with more and more thefts happening right under our noses. It’s easy to assume that parking your car on your driveway will offer you protection from car thieves, but recent data has suggested this isn’t the case. 11% of cars in 2023 were stolen right off the driveway and 18% were broken into whilst sitting on a driveway.
So what cars are being stolen from UK driveways?
Whilst it’s thought that keyless cars are the most vulnerable for driveway thefts, with keyless cars twice as likely to be stolen, they’re not the only ones to crack the top 10 most stolen cars.
This list has been generated by the latest DVLA data.
Ford Fiesta
As the UK’s most popular car, with more than 1.5m on the roads in 2023, it’s no surprise that the Ford Fiesta takes the top spot as the UK’s most stolen car. 5976 Ford Fiestas were stolen in 2023, which is roughly 16 every single day!
Ford Focus
A family favourite, the Ford Focus comes in second place for cars most likely to be stolen from your driveway. 2120 of these were stolen in 2023. Many Ford Focus are stolen in order to sell their parts on the black market.
Volkswagen Golf
With its low emissions and comfortable ride, the Volkswagen Golf has been a best seller for 8 generations, and with popularity comes a spike in thefts. 2038 Volkswagen Golfs were stolen in the last year.
Mercedes C Class
The first keyless car on this list, the Mercedes C Class is particularly vulnerable to driveway thefts. The car can be opened by just holding the key and the proximity between your home and your driveway may be just the distance thieves need to trick your car into opening and driving away.
1786 Mercedes C Classes were stolen in 2023.
Range Rover Sport
Another keyless car, the number of Range Rovers stolen in 2023 surprisingly dropped by 29%. This decrease came after Range Rover updated its keyless system in second-hand 2018 models to make it harder for thieves to steal cars from driveways using the keyless entry system.
Range Rover Evoque
Just like the Range Rover Sport, second-hand models of the Range Rover Evoque are being retroactively fitted with tighter security measures. These security measures involve a built-in motion sensor on the key fob that will put the fob in ‘sleep mode’ if it hasn’t moved in 3 minutes. This will make it harder, but not impossible, for carjackers to take advantage of the proximity between your driveway and the key fob in the house.
1489 Range Rover Evoques were stolen in 2023.
BMW 3 Series
The prestigious BMW 3 series comes with what the brand refers to as ‘comfort access’ which is another keyless entry system that can be hacked by carjackers. 1466 BMW 3 series were stolen in 2023.
Vauxhall Corsa
As the third most popular car in the UK in 2023, the Vauxhall Corsa was stolen 1110 times. It might come as no surprise at this point in the list, but the new Vauxhall Corsa also comes with keyless entry capabilities that make it vulnerable to driveway theft.
Vauxhall Astra
With over 41,000 Vauxhall Astras sold in 2023, there are plenty on the road to make them an ideal target for thieves. 1086 were stolen in 2023 and many stolen models were broken down in ‘illegal garages’ and sold for parts.
Land Rover Discovery Sport
Despite not being the newest Land Rover model, thefts of the Discovery Sport were up 15% in 2023 compared to 2022. These models lack the tighter security features that have been added in more recent releases, making them easier targets for carjackers. 954 Land Rover Discovery Sports were stolen in 2023.
How can you prevent driveway car theft?
Thankfully, there are easy steps you can take to prevent driveway car theft. Here are just a few:
Keep your keys away from the car
Simply moving your key fob to the other side of the house when you are at home can make it harder for thieves to manipulate the signals from the key fob. As many carjackers are well-versed in hacking and manipulating of short-range signals, this method is not guaranteed to prevent car theft.
Use a Faraday pouch
A Faraday pouch can block the radio signals from your keyfob inside your house and prevent thieves from using these to open your car. These pouches are inexpensive and readily available online, but they are not fail-safe when it comes to keeping your car safe.
Most metal tins can be used as a makeshift Faraday pouch in a pinch.
Install CCTV
Installing visible CCTV on your driveway, pointing at your car, can make an excellent deterrent for carjackers and burglars alike. Criminals are unlikely to want to break into your car or steal it knowing they have been caught on camera.
If thieves do still attempt to steal your car, your photographic and video evidence can help law enforcement track down the perpetrators and trace the whereabouts of your car.
Parking Bollards
Parking bollards and security posts are amongst the best deterrents for car theft. A high-quality retractable bollard can sit at the bottom of your driveway and prevent thieves from leaving with your car.
For many car thieves, the fact they cannot simply drive it away will prevent them from ever trying to break into your car in the first place. A removable post, foldable bollard, or telescopic post can be easily moved to allow you to park on your driveway and then secured firmly into place with heavy-duty padlocks overnight.
Here at Bulldog Bollards, we offer a wide range of parking posts and security bollards to fit your every need. With decades of experience behind us, we are ready to advise you on the best bollard to protect your property and vehicles from rising car theft.
Contact Bulldog Bollards today for more information.