Car thieves not worried about being caught, says security expert

A locksmith who specialises in vehicle security believes car thieves are not deterred by the possibility of being caught.

A BBC investigation has found car thefts have more than doubled around the country in the last decade, while the proportion of cases solved by police has fallen.

In the West Mercia Police area, there were 1,338 vehicle theft offences last year, but just 3.7% resulted in a charge or summons. William Church, from WAC Automotive Solutions in Shrewsbury, said: "For a thief there's just no risk."

Charlie Parker, West Mercia Police's vehicle crime lead, said the number of vehicle thefts fell in his area last year, and encouraged people to report all vehicle crime.

The data from West Mercia Police shows that with the exception 2022/2023, the number of charges, relative to the number of cases, has fallen steadily every year from 12.4% in 2015/2016.

Church said: "They don't follow it up."

He said a lot of his customers would tell him: "All I was given was a crime number I've never heard anything back", and that they are told to speak to their insurers.

Church added: "I guess they're too busy, but thieves know this."

The BBC have asked the force for a specific response to these claims.

Across England and Wales, reported vehicle thefts fell by 5% last year, to 119,000, but over the last decade the number has risen by almost 50%, compared to the previous decade.

Last year, just 3% of vehicle theft offences in England and Wales resulted in a charge or summons.

Speaking about the figures, Parker said: "It is encouraging that the number of offences recorded in West Mercia fell by almost 20% in 2025/26, compared to the previous year."

However, he warned criminals were "using sophisticated methods, including technology designed to target keyless vehicles".

He suggested storing keys and keyless fobs away from doors and windows and fitting additional security devices such as steering wheel locks, keeping vehicles locked and secure, and parking in well-lit or secure locations.

Parker urged people to report all vehicle crime, because it helped the force "build intelligence, identify patterns and target those responsible".

Church said he believed thieves did not target specific vehicles, but would move around finding easy cars to steal.

He said he had seen doorbell camera footage from customers showing thieves going from house-to-house until they were able to remotely access a car.

With more cars now using keyless technology, he said this was becoming increasingly common.

Church explained the process was simple.

"They basically stand outside your house, they can scan the signal from inside the house, they relay that to the car, the car believes that the vehicle key is in it, they jump in, start the car and drive away."

The only deterrent he said, was to fit additional security systems such as keycodes to immobilise the cars.

But even with tracking devices installed he said there was no guarantee cars would be found and returned, because many were simply taken for their parts.

Suzanne, who lives near Bridgnorth, nearly lost her campervan to car thieves earlier this summer.

She did not want to give her surname, but said she got a shock on 6 June when she climbed into her vehicle and found part of the dashboard had been removed.

Her campervan is fitted with a security system which requires a keycode, so the thieves were unable to take it, but she said she "just felt violated".

It took three months to get her car repaired and she said: "It was horrible because we've had a lovely summer and I've missed it."

She had promised to take her grandchildren away in the campervan and had planned to use it at a blues festival too.

When the vehicle was returned, she said it still felt wrong, so she stripped it out and cleaned it.

"Everything came out," she said.

"Pots, pans, the bed, the bedding, the mattress, it all just got washed and aired and I cleaned it from top to bottom."

"It just felt better, a little bit better."

Now, she parks the campervan in clear view in the street and has installed extra security.

She said she should feel more secure now, but she still has doubts, because thieves seemed to find ways to take what they want.

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