Cloning, statistics, recoveries & components … aspects of vehicle crime warranting much more of BBC’s Crimewatch’s time.
Some aspect to be aware of:
• Cloning & false plating differ
• Reference to 110,00 ‘cars’ being stolen is not uncommon, but this figures relates to vehicles generally. Car thefts make up about half this number
• Vehicles found at ports may have been stolen or they may have been acquired by Fraud. Arguably, the difference matters
• A 43% recovery rate is one average figure, but even if correct; recovery of what? Many vehicles are found stripped of components i.e. they still amount to a total loss.
• Vehicle parts are not just ‘quite valuable’; the sum of the parts could well exceed that of the whole. Component commerce is less complicated and risky than handling complete cars.
The crime deserves more attention.
A summary of the program can be read here.
Comment upon the content can be read here

