Is your car on the list of most STOLEN models now car thefts are on the rise?

CAR theft in Britain is on the rise and insurers are more than £1.4billion out of pocket because of it.

That’s according to vehicle claims specialist CMA, who put in a Freedom of Information request to the Home Office.

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The FOI request response stated: “The latest police recorded crime figures for England and Wales show a 7% increase in theft or unauthorised taking of a motor vehicle from 94,601 offences in year ending December 2020 to 101,198 offences in year ending December 2021.”

The CMA subsequently said: “It is way too simplistic to say car crime is down from 500,000 offences in the mid-1990s to 100,000 today so we’ve largely solved it.

“Even from 180,000 a year in 2006, when the Home Office stopped publishing the annual car theft index, the picture has changed dramatically.

“15-odd years ago, the typical theft was an old Ford Escort worth less than £5k taken for ‘joyriding’ and later recovered, often burnt-out.

“Now, we commonly see nearly new Range Rovers worth £100k stolen by professional criminals, and they are seldom found.

“The fact that 72% of stolen vehicles are never recovered is a staggering failure.”

But which cars are the most commonly stolen?

A separate FOI request by car lease comparison site LeaseLoco found the answer and we have the top five most stolen models in 2021 for you.

5. Mercedes C-Class

Number stolen: 1474

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4. Volkswagen Golf

Number stolen: 1755

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3. Ford Focus

Number stolen: 1912

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2. Range Rover

Number stolen: 3754

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1. Ford Fiesta

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Number stolen: 3909