UK van thefts skyrocket | Motoring Issues - Car News Oct 2019

10:54 Thursday 31 Oct 2019

Van thefts have soared by 45% in the past four years according to research conducted by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles.

They studied official UK crime data, and the startling figures revealed that nearly 10,000 vans have been stolen in the last year alone, bringing the total since 2015 to over 30,000.

Official police statistics revealed vans in London, West Yorkshire and the West Midlands are most at risk of being stolen, with the Metropolitan Police area recording more than half of all UK van thefts in the past 12 months. Leicestershire saw a tenfold increase in van thefts in the past year, North Wales saw its figures double, and West Yorkshire recorded a 67% increase in stolen vans.

Volkswagen say it highlights the importance of van owners and fleet managers ensuring that their vehicles are fitted with anti-theft devices and that expensive tools from vehicles at night.

David Hanna, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles Head of Service and Parts Operations, said, “Our most recent findings are concerning as it reveals that the problem of van theft is getting worse rather than better – and it’s a problem right across the country. Vans are the lifeblood of so many businesses up and down the country and it’s not only the emotional stress of replacing the vehicle but also the days and weeks of letting customers down and the cost of replacing tools, often worth thousands of pounds, before you can get back to business as usual. We strongly advise not to leave tools in the vehicle overnight and we’re also supporting our customers with offers on the latest anti-theft devices to help give them piece of mind.”