London Mayor Sadiq Khan is demanding action from leading car manufacturers over the rise in car thefts in the capital.
In a letter to car company bosses, Mr Khan urged them to fix design flaws that make it ‘very easy’ for criminals to exploit security gaps in modern cars.
The mayor warned that ‘now it is much easier to steal a car than a few years ago’ due to useless technology and criminals’ using more sophisticated theft devices.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan is demanding action from major car manufacturers on the rise in car thefts in the capital.
He also lamented how this was affecting car insurance premiums for Londoners, with high costs now ‘unaffordable for many’.
Mr Khan has written to the UK bosses of Ford, Jaguar Land Rover, Toyota and Mercedes-Benz.
He has also asked the Minister of Internal Affairs James Cleverly to look at various new measures by the Government in dealing with car theft.
This includes potential new laws to strengthen safety standards in car manufacturing, and create new offenses for criminals who use electronic devices to steal cars.
Mr Khan also called for greater border checks to track the smuggling of stolen luxury cars from the UK, and tougher penalties for offenders.
Figures from the National Bureau of Statistics showed there was an 8 percent increase in car thefts in the year ending September 2023, compared to the previous 12 months.
Range Rovers, produced by Jaguar Land Rover, are among the most stolen cars in the UK – and particularly in London – due to their high resale value and keyless technology.
The Range Rover Velar was among the most stolen cars in the UK last year
Mr Khan has also called on the Minister of Home Affairs James Cleverly to look at various new measures by the Government in dealing with car theft.
In his letter to car manufacturers, Mr Khan said ‘this national trend is evident in London’ where there has been a 7.7 per cent increase in car thefts over the period.
He also cited Metropolitan Police statistics which showed that, of the approximately 33,000 cars stolen last year, 60 to 65 percent were unfounded car thefts.
“It is clear that we all have a role to play in tackling this problem and we know from past examples – such as the positive work to tackle money changer theft – that a collaborative approach can achieve great success,” the mayor wrote.
‘As you know, your customers are increasingly becoming victims of car theft due to security weaknesses in modern vehicles that are used by criminals.’
He added: ‘Your customers suffer twice: firstly, they are more likely to be victims of theft, and secondly, they face high insurance premiums, which in London are becoming increasingly difficult for many.
‘Car insurance premiums in London have risen by 60 per cent in the last 12 months, with young Londoners hit hardest.
‘It is clear to me that this is not an issue that the police can handle alone.’
To use our interactive graphic below, hover your mouse over or touch a car model to see how likely it is to be stolen in 2023:
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Mr Khan praised the recent announcement by Jaguar Land Rover that it would invest £10m in improving car security, including bringing back older models and its latest technology in a bid to reduce keyless car theft.
Range Rovers are among the most stolen vehicles in the UK – and London in particular – due to their high resale value and the sophisticated technology that criminals use.
This has led Jaguar Land Rover to launch its own insurance product for customers struggling to get insurance as premiums rise.
But, despite some efforts aimed at tackling theft, Mr Khan added that he ‘still does not believe the industry as a whole is doing enough to tackle the security risks facing car owners’.
He wrote: ‘I am seeking your reassurance about what your companies have done – and are doing – to close the security risk of keyless entry vehicles with major technological vulnerabilities, designing car thefts for new cars and older models.’
Mr Khan is calling on the Government to do more to curb the ability of criminals to purchase high-tech devices that enable them to evade vehicle security.
He also wants more action to be taken to stop the illegal export of stolen cars from the UK and to disrupt and break up the organized crime gangs that are often behind major organized car thefts.
Mr Khan said: “It beggars belief that in 2024, cars can be stolen within seconds.
‘Sadly, changes in technology mean that it is now much easier to steal a car than it was a few years ago.
‘The Met goes after the worst criminals and targets crime-ridden areas but figures show unfounded car thefts account for the bulk of thousands of car thefts in the capital – 65 per cent of more than 30,000 vehicles.
‘This is clearly a design issue. It is very easy for criminals to exploit security gaps in modern cars and this has had a huge impact on insurance premiums for many Londoners.
‘With cars being stolen from the streets and roads at short notice by organized gangs, it is clear that this is not an issue that the police can handle alone.
That is why I am asking the Government to take decisive action to deal with this issue and speed up the improvement of vehicle safety by using its powers.
‘I’m also asking the major car manufacturers to help shape this growing threat so we can build a safer city for everyone.’
A Home Office spokesman said: “We expect the police to take motoring crime seriously and investigate thoroughly to ensure criminals are prosecuted and brought to justice, which is why we welcomed the promise made by the police last August to follow up every relevant investigation.”
“We have made great strides in tackling car crime, which has fallen by 39 per cent since 2010.
“We have also recently introduced provisions in the Criminal Code Bill to ban electronic devices used in car theft, and continue to work closely with manufacturers and specialist police vehicle investigators.”