According to the latest statistics, vehicle theft has fallen by 70 per cent across Britain in the last ten years.æ Despite this, though, major cities still face a 'significant challenge' in tackling it, according to Tracker. Figures taken from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that UK car crime is currently at its lowest since 1968, but that it remains a major issue in cities like London, Birmingham and Manchester. Andy Barrs, police liaison officer for Tracker, said: 'The Mayor of London's Police and Crime Plan, outlines a focus on vehicle theft as a key priority, with sizable increases happening in key London boroughs, such as Westminster (59%), Islington (35%) and Camden (31%). 'It could well beæthat the London vehicle theft rate is being overlooked by the industry because the Home Office no longer break down individual categories of vehicle, for example 'theft of' and 'theft from' motor vehicle, preferring instead to measure them under the all-encompassing banner of 'vehicle crime.' "Nonetheless, the Home Office public facing crime comparator website clearly indicates that large Metropolitan forces are still struggling to stem the rising trend in vehicle theft, thereby indicating a clear disparity between the picture painted by the Home Office and the reality in London and the UK's larger cities.î Tracker has supported calls by the automotive industry for local authorities to collect more detailed data about how vehicles are stolen in their region, in order to try and increase the understanding on the types of theft being conducted across the country.
