One in 4 motorists throughout Britain has fallen sufferer to car crime akin to theft or vandalism over the previous 12 months, new figures reveal.
RAC analysis performed in April 2025 with almost 2,400 drivers discovered 26% of motorists nationwide have been focused by car crime, with stark variations noticed between city and rural areas.
Nearly half (45%) of drivers in cities and metropolis centres reported experiencing car crime previously 12 months, in contrast with simply 20% in suburban or outer city areas and 15% within the countryside.
The survey revealed that nearly one in 5 (19%) city motorists had their car broken “with deliberate scratches and dents”, in contrast with simply 7% in rural areas.
Additionally, 13% of drivers in cities and metropolis centres had possessions stolen from their automobile previously 12 months, while the determine stood at 2% within the countryside, the survey discovered.
The evaluation additionally revealed 11% of city drivers reported car theft, in contrast with 6% general.
The RAC stated regardless of the decrease incidence of car crime exterior cities and cities, rural motorists “are equally, if not more, worried about being targeted by thieves and vandals”.
Nearly two in 5 (39%) drivers within the countryside stated they have been involved about their automobile being vandalised, in contrast with 34% of city motorists.
RAC Insurance spokesperson Simon Williams stated the survey findings are “very worrying”. He remarked: “Having a vehicle vandalised is both unbelievably annoying and expensive but having one stolen is a horrible violation, incredibly stressful to resolve and inconvenient to cope with, given how important cars are to our daily lives.
“Every prison incident like this contributes to the common price of automobile insurance coverage, which has already risen lately because of the increased prices of elements and labour, and the rising complexity of recent automobiles.
“Having to claim on your insurance because of something you’ve accidentally done yourself is one thing, but when it’s because of mindless, deliberate vandalism, it’s beyond frustrating, not least because it will inevitably result in higher future premiums,” he continued.
Last December, the Government reaffirmed its pledge to sort out the spiralling price of motor insurance coverage.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander confirmed that work would press forward to fight vehicle-related crime and improve street security, while concurrently addressing the mounting bills throughout the motor insurance coverage sector.
Jonathan Hewett, chief govt of Thatcham Research, noticed: “Vehicle theft is no longer just opportunistic – it’s increasingly driven by organised criminal gangs using sophisticated methods.
“Tackling the risk means not solely making automobiles tougher to steal, but in addition disrupting the networks behind high-volume, tech-enabled theft.”
Both the Department for Transport and Home Office have been approached for remark.
https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/2163979/one-four-uk-drivers-fall-victim-vehicle-crime-rac-warns-horrible-violation