26/05/2022 – WMPCC response to request for information about keyless vehicle theft.
REQUEST:
- I am seeking information about the manner in which vehicles are stolen, the basis for Police ‘believing’ the majority of thefts are carried out by criminals who have found ways of getting around the onboard electronic security systems.
Please provide the information in support of this belief.
The Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) receives a large number of verbal briefings from West Midlands Police on a range of matters, including car crime. In these briefings they will often give their professional opinions and beliefs based on evidence. You would need to ask West Midlands Police how they form those opinions or beliefs. In order to be of some assistance, please see the following contact details should you wish to submit this question to West Midlands Police.
- Your former PCC was ‘angry at the apparent ease at which criminals are stealing cars’
Please provide the information in support of his concerns; the ‘easy’ methods of removing to which were being referred
RESPONSE:
The PCC you refer to is no longer in post and so it would not be possible for us to guess his specific reasons for why he felt that cars were too easily being stolen. However, perhaps he would point to the rising number of vehicle thefts in the West Midlands, combined with video footage in the public domain that shows cars stolen using electronic compromise. One such video can be viewed here.
- In 2019, the PCC was associated with the headline Keyless cars blamed for West Midlands theft ‘epidemic’. The report added ‘the figures released by the PCC cover all types of vehicle theft – not just those relating to keyless entry – in the police region, which covers Birmingham, the Black Country and Coventry.’ Please provide me with the figures referred to. With regard to the above, the information from 01/01/2018 would be appreciated
RESPONSE
Please see the following statistics:
2018 figures: Car thefts nearly triple – West Midlands Police & Crime Commissioner (westmidlands-pcc.gov.uk)
2019 figures: PCC names cars most likely to be stolen in the West Midlands – West Midlands Police & Crime Commissioner (westmidlands-pcc.gov.uk)