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Stealing quality, not quantity. Whilst the number of recorded vehicle thefts in the UK fell by 4.5% last year (2024), according to DVLA data, thefts of vehicles under three years old actually increased by 6.6%. The number of stolen Toyota Hilux pickups rising by a staggering 549%. The data was obtained from the DLA and…

Crushing e-bikes after 7 days: meaningful action or media soundbite? The West Midlands PCC wants to halve the time before seized e-bikes and e-scooters are destroyed — from 14 days to 7. But does this change make a difference? A closer look at the Commissioner’s 17(?) claimed benefits reveals a common theme: most of these…

Cost-Cutting Brilliance? You have likely heard the tale. Someone asks a matchbox company: “Want to save 50% on your striking strip costs?” Of course they do. “Only put the strip on one side of the box!“. A success. The suggestion is rewarded. Legendary, but unsubstantiated.* Crime-Cutting Reality Police officers approach the government: “We can cut…

Police Report Disclosure – the ICO, the NPCC and … ‘The Others’. They say communications were sent. Important ones. A police constabulary is adamant they contacted key individuals. But, ask for names, and there are none. Request the addresses, ask to see the messages… and the silence is deafening. No records. No replies. No trace….

What is wrong with this vehicle taking scenario: Such an account challenges conventional assumptions about organised vehicle theft, which typically centres on profit-driven operations employing sophisticated tools and planning; organised & professional crime. The apparent carelessness of abandoning a targeted, valuable asset, apparently obtained furtively using specialist tools, raises what should be an obvious question:…

Vehicle taking allegations in the United Kingdom hve surged in recent years, reaching a 15-year high with 129,159 vehicles stolen between April 2023 and March 2024 . This alarming trend has sparked debates over the root causes, with some attributing the rise to manufacturers’ security shortcomings. However, is the primary issue not attributable to vehicle…

Car Theft Trio Jailed After Crime Spree Three individuals involved in a major car theft operation have been sentenced after a series of blunders led to their capture. One suspect left a bag containing car keys and cannabis in a coffee shop at a caravan park, while the others were apprehended following unrelated car crashes,…

2023 vs. 2024 PNC LoS Comparison A comparison of the 2023 and 2024 ‘stolen’ car data received by the DVLA from constabularies, conveying, for both years: Then, by constabulary: The information is presented here. There are important caveats about the information, shedding further light on why the figures understate the issue. The UK’s recording of…

Vehicles, Cars, Car-Crime, Recoveries More vehicle ‘taking’ figures from the West Midlands Police & Crime Commissioner’s office which, in 2019, was to spearhead a Vehicle Crime Taskforce.  Rather than tackle the problem, a huge rise followed. The recent vehicle crime account appears encouraging at first glance, yet closer examination raises questions due to mixed terminology…

a distillation process

“Facts are the building blocks of knowledge. Without a solid foundation, nothing can be built.” Marie Curie It is frustrating – if not downright alarming – to see contradictions and blatant errors in government press releases. When officials fumble the facts and fail to communicate with clarity, the result is not just confusion, it is…

04/03/2025 Tomorrow will see the ‘Crime and Policing Bill’ introduced to Parliament.An aspect highlights and seeks to address ‘car signal jammers’.But is the extent to which this equipment is used known, are there legitimate uses for such kit and do we need a new law?Time to: Read more here.

Imagine a central police information unit tasked with issuing guidance to every chief police officer in the country. The expectation? These officers receive, download, and read the guidance to ensure consistency and adherence to best practices. The reality? The National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) system operates on blind faith. One glaring flaw in this approach…

Criticism of car insurers who are ‘generally more reliable than other sectors for accepting customer claims: data from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) found that car insurers accepted 99 per cent of claims last year’, appears misplaced The Which? report can be accessed here with comments about: It is unfortunate that the substantial positives reflected…

How the UK Tackled Car Crime and Let It Slip Away In the 1990s, the UK faced a tipping point in car crime. Manufacturer-led security innovations, such as transponder keys and advanced engine management systems, collided with record-high allegations of vehicle theft. During this pivotal era, one initiative promised a breakthrough: Operation Igneous. While hailed…

Vehicle Taking – ‘Picking Low-Hanging Fruit’ Did UK Authorities intend to address: By reference to a 1999 publication, Authorities seem concerned with the numbers, content, for appearance’s sake, to pick the low-hanging fruit: As more vehicles were fitted with sophisticated electronic security, the Neanderthal, reliant upon forcibly overcoming door and ignition locks, was thwarted. However,…

The Hidden Cost of Vehicle Theft: Did Complacency Leave the UK Exposed to Organised Crime? You can lead a force to water but …. In the mid-1990s, Britain was in the grip of a vehicle theft epidemic. Over half a million cars were being reported* stolen every year, with thieves falling into three broad categories:…

And by this measure are treated leniently? The ‘Practice Notice’ can be read here. November 2024: Staffordshire police recognised their FoIA failings in July 2023. However, by the end of 2023, having not addressed these shortcomings, the issues were before the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) – read more here. A year on, November 2024, and…