News - Car Crime U.K.

5. Moving the Vehicle Along – Disposal

Do Police Hand Vehicles Over Too Quickly? In many recovered vehicle cases, the central issue is not whether police were… Read more
Policy Question: Is Automated Weeding Necessary?

In 2024, Gwent advised having put in place a process that would cause weeding to cease. However: This request for… Read more
4. Police Powers to Seize Do Not Decide Ownership

When police officers seize a vehicle suspected of being stolen, most people assume the matter is legally settled. The vehicle… Read more
FOI Update: “Not Held” and the Question of Process

A Freedom of Information request submitted to Staffordshire Police in July 2025 has raised a broader procedural question about how… Read more
3. Who Helps The Innocent?

Should the Original Police Force Normally Handle the Innocent Purchaser’s Crime? When a stolen vehicle is recovered from an innocent… Read more
Remote Technology and Stolen Vehicles

Capability Without Coordination? Modern vehicles are increasingly connected devices. Many can receive over-the-air updates, transmit diagnostic information, and in some… Read more
2. The Innocent Purchaser

The Forgotten Victim in Vehicle Recovery When a stolen vehicle is recovered, attention naturally turns to the original theft, to… Read more
The ICO – running out of time?

A watchdog that cannot keep up risks turning a legal right into a theoretical one The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO)… Read more
1. A Police Crime Report Is Not a Title Decision

When a vehicle is reported stolen, most people assume the legal position is straightforward: the vehicle belongs to the person… Read more
The Problem With Crime Numbers:

When Allegations Start to Look Like Evidence A crime reference number confirms that something was reported. It does not confirm… Read more
When Recorded Theft Is Not Believed

In a recent case, a senior reviewing officer recorded doubt that a vehicle theft had occurred. The crime remains recorded.… Read more
NaVCIS Funding: Still No Specifics

Recent Parliamentary Questions on the National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service (NaVCIS) were intended to clarify how this body is funded… Read more
Agreed Police disclosure procedures not followed

A recurring issue in vehicle theft cases is not recovery, but what happens afterwards. In a recent case, a stolen… Read more
£50 for a Police Report Update?

Read the Form First! If you are applying for a police collision report for insurance or civil litigation purposes, a… Read more
Section 184 Data Protection Act 2018

What is an “Enforced Subject Access Request”? Section 184 of the Data Protection Act 2018 creates a criminal offence known… Read more
Keyless Taking or Key Questions?

We are frequently told that “relay theft” is becoming the norm for modern vehicles. But how certain are we? In… Read more
When ‘Sale or Return’ Goes Wrong

A Risk in the UK Automotive Market Recent events involving GVE London have brought renewed attention to a longstanding concern:… Read more
BBC Crimewatch ‘Car Cloning’

Cloning, statistics, recoveries & components … aspects of vehicle crime warranting much more of BBC’s Crimewatch’s time. Some aspect to… Read more
Keyless Vehicle Theft:

Evidence, Assumptions and Investigation Challenges Over recent years, keyless entry systems have frequently been cited as the primary driver of… Read more
Accusations of Criminality

Section 184 of the Data Protection Act 2018 – ‘Enforced Subject Access’ Given the delays associated with disclosure of police… Read more
Thefts Down – Except for Newer Cars!

Stealing quality, not quantity. Whilst the number of recorded vehicle thefts in the UK fell by 4.5% last year (2024),… Read more
Increase Pre-Crush Retention Period to 28 days?

Crushing e-bikes after 7 days: meaningful action or media soundbite? The West Midlands PCC wants to halve the time before… Read more
Reducing Vehicle Theft by up to 30%

Cost-Cutting Brilliance? You have likely heard the tale. Someone asks a matchbox company: “Want to save 50% on your striking… Read more
‘The Others’ … are you among them?

Police Report Disclosure – the ICO, the NPCC and … ‘The Others’. They say communications were sent. Important ones. A… Read more
Vehicle Abandonments Raise Questions Over Theft Claims

What is wrong with this vehicle taking scenario: Such an account challenges conventional assumptions about organised vehicle theft, which typically… Read more