Where, oh where, do they go?
The latest auto theft numbers in Great Britain are just as grim as in the U.S. In 2011, 65,000 vehicles were taken from their owners in the UK and never recovered for losses of £300 million or $473 million. More than two thirds (71%) of stolen cars disappear, never to be seen again. As they are stripped for either parts or shipped out of the country, according to swiftcover.com. Not surprisingly, more expensive stolen cars are more likely to disappear without a trace.
Data show that recovery rates vary among manufacturers with Land Rover and Audi models among the least likely to be recovered, 79% and 80% respectively. However, niche, high-end vehicles are more vulnerable of the seven Porsches stolen in 2011, none were recovered, while five of the six Subaru models stolen in the same period were never seen again. Cars were more likely to be recovered following a theft, with Renault (72.8%), Rover (72.7%) and Fiat (69%) all reporting high percentages of recovery.
“Our analysis suggests that an increasing number of cars worth between £10,000 and £25,000 are being stolen and shipped out of the country, slipping through the net and disappearing from the UK completely,” said Robin Reames, chief claims officer at swiftcover.com. “We know from our experience that Land Rovers are very popular oversees and so it’s of no surprise to see this car ranks as one of the most likely to disappear without trace following theft.”
The data was also analyzed by region with Essex (86%), Nottinghamshire (82%), Greater London (80.7%) and the West Midlands (80.6%)which had the highest proportion of unrecovered cars in the UK.
The top five targeted vehicles and locations:
- Land Rover (79.5%) Essex (85%)
- Audi (79.1%) Nottinghamshire (82%)
- Seat (76%) Greater London (80.7%)
- Mercedes (74%) West Midlands (80.6%)
- Toyota (71%) North Yorkshire (78%)
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, publisher (kzhw@aol.com), is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
Zino is at home on test tracks, knows his way around U.S. Congressional hearing rooms, auto company headquarters, plant floors, as well as industry research and development labs where the real mobility work is done. He can quote from court decisions, refer to instrumented road tests, analyze financial results, and profile executive personalities and corporate cultures.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
