Shocking new numbers show that over 1,000 car thefts were reported in Leicestershire last year – and the vast majority of thieves get away with it.
Despite the high number of reported thefts, the number of convictions is dramatically low.
Even if the numbers fell during the lockdown, police chiefs are now warning that thefts are on the rise again.
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The latest official figures from the Home Office show that Leicestershire Police recorded 1,383 car thefts in 2020/21, up from 1,858 the year before.
These included 45 cases of serious car theft, in which the stolen vehicle was subsequently driven dangerously, damage to the vehicle or other property was caused, or someone was injured.
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Leicester is a particular hotspot for car thefts in the county, with 538 registered in the city last year – more per capita than anywhere else in Leicestershire.
Some thieves are on trial, however, and only last July did the police secure the conviction of seven organized crime members who were involved in more than 50 “keyless” car thefts.
The value of the stolen vehicles amounted to 2.4 million euros. The gang members were imprisoned for a total of 30 years.
Assistant Chief Constable Jenny Sims of the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) said, “These criminal gangs care little about the impact they have on ordinary people, but they should know that the police are after them.
“We conduct proactive operations every week and as recent results show, if we catch them, they can expect to spend a significant amount of time in jail.”
However, according to a recent study by Reach, victims of vehicle crime are becoming unlikely to get justice.
Of the 1,383 car thefts recorded by Leicestershire police last year, only 81 resulted in the suspect being brought to justice – just six percent of the total.
The official numbers also showed that cases are much more likely to drop altogether.
In 871 cases, the investigation was closed because no suspect was identified and 271 were closed because of evidence difficulties.
Simply enter your zip code below to see the level of vehicle crime in your neighborhood – including theft, theft from, and vehicle tampering:
As with most types of crime, car thefts initially fell significantly across the country at the start of the pandemic, and have remained lower than usual over the past year.
However, preliminary figures from the National Police Chiefs’ Council show an overall increase in vehicle crime of 3.1 percent between May 2021 and June 2021 – the majority of that stemming from keyless theft.
Organized crime gangs use relay technology to pick up the signal from a key in a house and transmit it to a portable device so they can unlock the car and drive.
Assistant Chief Constable Sims said, “Car theft is a serious crime that causes significant concern and anger for owners and the police are devoting significant resources to combating it and bringing those responsible to justice.
“While the rapid development of technology has dramatically improved the driver’s driving experience, it also enables criminals to exploit vulnerabilities in electronic security.
“We work closely with automakers to help them identify crime by sharing information and equipment that has been confiscated from criminals.
Most theft reports do not result in an arrest
“We are already making considerable progress here.
“I would like to encourage drivers to take simple steps to keep their vehicle safe, such as:
“Going back to basics like making sure your car is locked is also worthwhile. We know from research that some owners think cars lock automatically – they don’t.
“Always check that it is locked before you go out.”
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