The Liberal Democrats have demanded urgent action by the government.
Three-quarters of car thefts are going unsolved (Image: Getty)
Three-quarters of all car thefts went unsolved last year, prompting demands for an urgent crackdown by police forces. 76% of all thefts went unsolved across England and Wales, though this rose to an appalling 88% by the Metropolitan police.
35 of all 44 police forces had a total rate of 60% of cases going unsolved, according to figures from the House of Commons library. The Liberal Democrats have said this must prompt an urgent “car theft crackdown” by the government, calling for a new specialist team to be set up within the National Crime Agency. This squad would pool ANPR camera data, insurance records, and intelligence from all police forces and border control to target organised car crime networks.
A stolen car in Birmingham (Image: Getty)
LibDem Home Affairs spokesman Max Wilkinson branded the data “a disgrace”.
He blasted: “Time and time again victims of crime are left without the support they need, it’s a disgrace and communities deserve so much better.
“The previous Conservative government betrayed our communities with years of self-defeating cuts to our police forces – and now the current Labour government must not turn a blind eye to this epidemic.
“Enough is enough. That is why the Liberal Democrats are calling for a car theft crackdown, to finally catch the organised gangs and criminals who for far too long have been getting away with it.”
According to the independent research, car thefts have surged over the past decade, from 56,000 in 2014/15 to 122,000 in 2024/25.
Last month, police warned that cars and parts are being stolen and smuggled out of the UK within 24 hours.
Max Wilkinson, LibDem, demanded urgent action (Image: Liberal Democrats)
Sgt Ross Haybourne in Kent said his team is regularly carrying out operations in the Port of Dover, searching for stolen cars, caravans, quad bikes and other vehicles.
He revealed: “We’ve had reports with trackers etc, where vehicles are going hundreds or thousands of miles away from the UK, often within 24 hours of a theft.
“We stopped a car that was stolen the day before, which was en route to Cyprus and had been ordered.
“We’ve had vehicles tracked as close as France and as far away as North Africa.”
The Home Office has acknowledged that vehicle theft can have a “devastating impact” on Britons.
A spokesman insisted: “For too long, not enough has been done to prevent these crimes or to bring those responsible to justice.
“This government is working to change that by introducing new laws banning electronic devices used to steal vehicles, giving the police and courts stronger powers to target criminals who use, manufacture, or supply them.”
