Only 2% of Surrey car thefts end in criminal charge

Only a small number of car thefts in Surrey ended with criminal charges, police data has shown, as organised crime groups "exploit" the county's location and access to major road networks.

Surrey Police recorded 1,551 vehicle thefts in 2025 and of those, 34 resulted in a suspect being charged or summonsed - equalling 2.19% concluding with a criminal charge.

In three quarters of cases, not a single suspect was identified.

A spokesperson for Surrey Police said the force took vehicle theft "extremely seriously", adding: "Vehicle theft remains a challenge in Surrey, partly due to the county's location and access to major road networks, which are exploited by organised crime groups operating across the Force boundary lines."

Helen Maguire, MP for Epsom and Ewell, said this showed the Government had been "asleep at the wheel" and called for a return to "proper neighbourhood policing" to crack down on the issue.

She told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "Across Surrey, people rely on their cars to get to work, take their kids to school, and get themselves to the doctors and other essential services.

"It is completely unacceptable that 1,551 individuals and families in our county have had their vehicles stolen, with so few of those responsible ever brought to justice.

"The Government is asleep at the wheel and people in Surrey are paying the price."

The Home Office said it was carrying out the biggest reform of policing in two centuries to bring officers closer to communities they served.

They said it would ensure that policing was in the right places to tackle crimes that impacted people's lives.

A Surrey Police spokesperson added: "Offences often occur overnight, with criminals using sophisticated methods and quickly moving stolen vehicles across force boundaries.

"These factors can make identifying suspects and securing sufficient evidence for prosecution more challenging."

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