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The Irish Sun
18 hours ago
- Automotive
- The Irish Sun
Top 10 cars ‘most likely to be stolen in Britain' with FIVE from same brand on the list – is your motor at risk?
THE MOST stolen cars in the UK have been revealed and five of them are made by the same popular brand. Over one in 30 of one of Advertisement 4 The Toyoto-owned Lexus was the most likely brand to be targeted Credit: Alamy 4 The Lexus UX 250 was also one of the most targeted vehicles Credit: Alamy 4 Over 60,000 motors were stolen last year Credit: Alamy The Ford Fiesta is the most stolen car of 2024, with a staggering 4719 vehicles being stolen - according to data from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA). However, the most likely car to get stolen actually belongs to another brand. According to them, the Advertisement Read More on Car News Another Coming in third, one in three One in 39 Advertisement Most read in Motors A spokesperson for the Lexus brand - owned by Toyota - said that the brand has taken measures to prevent thefts. The spokesperson said: ' Watch as thieves use high-tech trick to swipe Mercedes in under 20 secs - as devices used in 40% of thefts to be BANNED 'Our anti-theft measures form part of a nationwide customer care offering. 'For example, at a cost of more than £10 million to Lexus, selected customers were provided with a free Tracker vehicle location service. Advertisement 'As a result, a 96% recovery rate has been achieved. 'We have subsequently rolled out Tracker installation as an option for buyers of certain models.' More than 61,000 cars were stolen in the UK throughout 2024. In sheer numbers, the Advertisement The The most stolen cars of 2024 The DVLA has revealed which cars were amongst the most stolen in 2024. Over 61,000 vehicles were stolen over the course of the year, with one in particular being targeted. Ford Fiesta - 4,719 Volkswagen Golf - 1,946 Ford Focus - 1,855 Land Rover Discovery - 1,698 Toyota RAV4 - 1,452 BMW 3 Series - 1,415 Mercedes C Class - 1,233 Range Rover Evoque - 1,189 Nissan Juke - 1,136 Range Rover Sport - 1,032 The news comes after several drivers revealed a It costs just 99p to buy too. Driver Lucy Lewis revealed that she uses a strip of tin foil to wrap up her key. Advertisement That prevents The RAC added that a reusable metal tin is also an effective way of preventing your key being misused, as well as a dedicated car signal blocker. How to protect your car from thieves Wheel clamps are another great option that can prevent your car from being driven away. Again, they are highly visible as they are often sold in bright colours, and may deter opportunistic thieves looking for a quick and easy target. Traditional security measures are also considered when calculating insurance premiums. Rich Morley at Lancaster Insurance explains that, no matter what car you drive, classic or modern, traditional-style security measures can provide extra peace of mind and security for your vehicle, helping to deter thieves in the process. He added: 'When considering a risk profile, we will establish with customers any security measures they have in place to prevent potential theft." 4 Five Lexus vehicles appeared on Autocar's list Credit: Handout
Scottish Sun
18 hours ago
- Automotive
- Scottish Sun
Top 10 cars ‘most likely to be stolen in Britain' with FIVE from same brand on the list – is your motor at risk?
The top two most likely to be stolen cars belonged to the same brand HIGH ALERT Top 10 cars 'most likely to be stolen in Britain' with FIVE from same brand on the list – is your motor at risk? Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE MOST stolen cars in the UK have been revealed and five of them are made by the same popular brand. Over one in 30 of one of the brand's models was stolen, prompting them to install anti-theft tech. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 The Toyoto-owned Lexus was the most likely brand to be targeted Credit: Alamy 4 The Lexus UX 250 was also one of the most targeted vehicles Credit: Alamy 4 Over 60,000 motors were stolen last year Credit: Alamy The Ford Fiesta is the most stolen car of 2024, with a staggering 4719 vehicles being stolen - according to data from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA). However, the most likely car to get stolen actually belongs to another brand. Autocar crunched the numbers, using the stolen cars as a proportion of the total registered last year. According to them, the Lexus ES 300 was the most likely to be stolen vehicle in 2024, with one in 30 of the vehicles being stolen. Another Lexus made the top two of that list, with the Lexus RX 450 being the second most likely to be stolen car. Coming in third, one in three Mercedes GLS cars were stolen over the course of 2024. One in 39 Mercedes GLS were stolen. Lexus had five different models in the top ten list, with the LC 500 in fifth place, the UX 250 in six and the NX 300 in eight. A spokesperson for the Lexus brand - owned by Toyota - said that the brand has taken measures to prevent thefts. The spokesperson said: 'Toyota GB has invested millions of pounds in a variety of security solutions. Watch as thieves use high-tech trick to swipe Mercedes in under 20 secs - as devices used in 40% of thefts to be BANNED 'Our anti-theft measures form part of a nationwide customer care offering. 'For example, at a cost of more than £10 million to Lexus, selected customers were provided with a free Tracker vehicle location service. 'As a result, a 96% recovery rate has been achieved. 'We have subsequently rolled out Tracker installation as an option for buyers of certain models.' More than 61,000 cars were stolen in the UK throughout 2024. In sheer numbers, the Volkswagen Golf was the second most stolen car with 1,731 vehicles being stolen. The Ford Focus came in third with 1,700 being stolen in total. The most stolen cars of 2024 The DVLA has revealed which cars were amongst the most stolen in 2024. Over 61,000 vehicles were stolen over the course of the year, with one in particular being targeted. Ford Fiesta - 4,719 Volkswagen Golf - 1,946 Ford Focus - 1,855 Land Rover Discovery - 1,698 Toyota RAV4 - 1,452 BMW 3 Series - 1,415 Mercedes C Class - 1,233 Range Rover Evoque - 1,189 Nissan Juke - 1,136 Range Rover Sport - 1,032 The news comes after several drivers revealed a clever trick to stop thieves from pinching their vehicle. It costs just 99p to buy too. Driver Lucy Lewis revealed that she uses a strip of tin foil to wrap up her key. That prevents thieves from taking vehicles which have a button activation, as it prevents your own key from unlocking the vehicle from afar. The RAC added that a reusable metal tin is also an effective way of preventing your key being misused, as well as a dedicated car signal blocker. How to protect your car from thieves Wheel clamps are another great option that can prevent your car from being driven away. Again, they are highly visible as they are often sold in bright colours, and may deter opportunistic thieves looking for a quick and easy target. Traditional security measures are also considered when calculating insurance premiums. Rich Morley at Lancaster Insurance explains that, no matter what car you drive, classic or modern, traditional-style security measures can provide extra peace of mind and security for your vehicle, helping to deter thieves in the process. He added: 'When considering a risk profile, we will establish with customers any security measures they have in place to prevent potential theft."
The Guardian
21 hours ago
- Automotive
- The Guardian
What to do if your driving licence is either lost or stolen
Mislaying your driving licence, or having it stolen, can be a real hassle and leave you vulnerable to fraud, so it is important to act quickly to protect your personal information. Contact your local police station or call 101 to report a stolen full or provisional licence. They will then give you a crime reference number. This can be important if your licence is used for fraudulent activity later on. If you've misplaced it, this isn't a necessary step, but can be a good idea if you think there's a chance it might have been stolen. Apply for a replacement licence through the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) website if you are in England, Scotland and Wales (or the DVA in Northern Ireland), or by phone and post. If you are applying by post, you will need to complete and send the D1 application for a driving licence form, which is available from most post offices. You can also apply by phone, but only if you have a photocard driving licence and none of your details have changed. A new licence costs £20. Keep an eye on your bank accounts for any suspicious activity, just in case your licence is being used for identity theft. It is a good idea to notify your bank, too, so they can flag any suspicious activity. Consider getting identity theft protection if you are worried about fraud. These services monitor your credit for any unusual activity. You can apply for protective registration with Cifas, the UK's fraud prevention service – this costs £30 for two years. Experian's Identity Plus offers a similar service – it's free for 30 days and £10.99 a month after. In the UK you are allowed to drive while you wait for a new licence to arrive. Once you have reported the theft or loss, and completed an application for a replacement licence, you should receive a new one within a week. Here are some steps you can take to protect yourself in future: Make a record of your new driving licence number – it's the unique 16-character code that can be found underneath the licence's expiry date. Keep it in a secure place, to avoid losing it, or having it stolen again. If the police pull you over while driving, you're allowed up to a week to take your licence into your local police station, so you don't need to carry it on you at all times. Set up alerts for your bank accounts to stay ahead of any large or unusual transactions, and be extra cautious with your personal details in the future. If you find your old licence after you've applied for, or received, a new one, you need to return it to the DVLA with a note explaining what has happened. You can find the address on the website.
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Daily Mirror
One popular car brand makes up half of the top 10 most stolen vehicles in UK
New data from the DVLA has revealed that the most stolen car by proportion of models available is now no longer the Range Rover Motorists have been told that one particular brand of car is proving more popular than anything else for thieves. While in the past thieves were targeting Range Rovers, produced by Jaguar Land Rover, new data has suggested they are now going after Lexus cars instead. Data from the DVLA, the Driver & Vehicle Licensing Agency, shows that five Lexus cars are in the top 10 cars most likely to be stolen. The DVLA assessed stolen car data from 2024, a year in which more than 61,000 cars were stolen, to come to the conclusion. Their data found that whilst the most stolen car was also the UK's most popular second-hand car, the Ford Fiesta, they noticed that cars made by Lexus made up a significant proportion of the thefts as opposed to sheer number. What this means in practice is that while the Ford Fiesta was the most stolen car by volume, in terms of proportion of thefts to vehicles produced it was much lower as a percentage. Their research, that ranks stolen cars as proportion of the total number registered, discovered that the Lexus ES 300 was the car most likely to be stolen in 2024 with one in 30 of the vehicles stolen. Other Lexus models included in the list were the Lexus RX 450, LC 500, UX 250 and NX 300, reports Autocar. Following the announcement of the results, a spokesperson for Toyota, who own Lexus, said: 'Toyota GB has invested millions of pounds in a variety of security solutions. Our anti-theft measures form part of a nationwide customer care offering. 'For example, at a cost of more than £10million to Lexus, selected customers were provided with a free Tracker vehicle location service. 'As a result, a 96% recovery rate has been achieved. We have subsequently rolled out Tracker installation as an option for buyers of certain models.' Although the new data is sad reading for those who may own a Lexus it demonstrates the progress made by Jaguar Land Rover to protect their cars in recent years, with the vehicles now some of the most protected in the country. In a separate statement, head of police liaison at Tracker Clive Wain added that while progress had been made by the British brand that there was still more work to be done to stop stolen cars leaving the country. He explained: 'Lexus is making considerable efforts to protect its customers' cars but JLR suffered a rise in thefts sooner than it and so has had more time to react and develop solutions. 'However, its cars are still being stolen. There is a thriving market overseas for Lexus, JLR and other premium vehicles and we recover many at docksides.'
The Guardian
3 days ago
- The Guardian
The Guardian view on private prosecutions: access to justice should not depend on people's ability to pay
In England and Wales, anyone can take a suspected criminal to court. Private criminal prosecutions, which can be initiated by individuals, companies or charities, can give people a shot at justice. They can also be open to abuse. The Post Office brought 918 successful private prosecutions against its employees to protect its own commercial interests – at a shocking human cost laid bare by an official report last week. Rail companies take the draconian measure of prosecuting people for mistakenly buying the incorrect ticket: in 2023, a woman received a criminal record for erroneously using her railcard to save a total of £1.60. In the context of a depleted justice budget, these prosecutions appear especially dystopian, allowing the wealthy to pay for their day in court. No official record exists for the number now taking place, though available data suggests there has been a steep increase. In 2014, 32 'costs orders' (the instruction a court gives to pay another party's legal expenses) were awarded to private prosecutions. By 2019, this had risen to 276. Organisations such as the DVLA and TV Licensing have long used these prosecutions for routine violations. But funding cuts to the criminal justice system are making them more common, and creating what the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) calls a 'two-tier justice system'. At their best, private prosecutions provide a safety valve against state malfeasance or inaction. The parents of the murdered black teenager Stephen Lawrence famously brought one against the five main suspects in 1994, after the CPS declined to prosecute. For victims of fraud, meanwhile, a private prosecution may be their only route to justice. In 2004 4.1m cases of fraud were recorded in England and Wales – yet just 6% of all cases reported to Action Fraud, the ineffective national hotline, are actually referred to the police. Of these, fewer than 1% result in an offender being charged or prosecuted. In these cases, a private prosecution may be a person's only hope. But the risks aren't hard to grasp. On average, it costs £8,500 to bring one, putting justice out of reach for many. Counterintuitively, they can also be more expensive for the state. Private prosecutors can recover their costs from the Ministry of Justice, which paid out more than £11m to those who brought private prosecutions through the crown courts in 2020. A supermarket chain can bring a private prosecution against a shoplifter and have its costs covered by the taxpayer, while most victims of fraud will never hear back from the police. If the state can afford to pay for the prosecution of financial crimes against companies, why isn't it prepared to ensure the police and CPS have enough resources to prosecute similar offences against ordinary people? This discrepancy sends a message that certain crimes, particularly fraud targeting individuals, aren't a matter for public concern. After the Post Office scandal, the Labour government has recognised the need for new safeguards. A recent consultation from the Ministry of Justice suggested that a compulsory code of conduct and an accreditation system would stop private prosecutions from being abused. But the government must go further. It is only a properly resourced criminal justice system that will prevent justice from being the equivalent of a gated community in Britain – where access depends on your ability to pay.
