Vehicle thefts rise to highest level in a decade
Press AssociationVehicle thefts in Devon and Cornwall have risen to their highest level in at least a decade, with police linking the increase to organised criminal gangs and increasingly sophisticated theft techniques.
Devon and Cornwall Police recorded 1,550 vehicle theft offences in 2025-26, up 60.8% from 964 in 2015-16 and up 11.4% from 1,392 in 2024-25, Home Office data shows.
Police said organised crime groups were responsible for a significant proportion of vehicle thefts, with offenders increasingly using technology such as electronic key cloning to steal vehicles.
Despite a recent drop, vehicle thefts are up almost 50% in England and Wales compared with a decade ago, according to the figures.
Abbie Brookes-MorrisVehicle thefts in Devon and Cornwall remained relatively stable between 2015-16 and 2020-21, when there were 964 and 955 offences respectively, before climbing sharply to 1,491 offences in 2022-23. Although offences fell slightly to 1,392 in 2024-25, they rose again to 1,550 in 2025-26.
Det Ch Supt Ben Deer from the force, said: "The increase in vehicle theft offences is being driven by a range of factors, many of which are being seen across the UK."
Organised crime groups are thought to be responsible for a significant proportion of thefts, targeting vehicles for resale, dismantling them for parts or moving them through wider criminal networks.
Theft methods have also become increasingly sophisticated, with offenders using technology such as electronic key cloning and signal amplification to "bypass modern vehicle security systems", Deer said.
Vehicles could often be stolen quickly while leaving few forensic opportunities for investigators.
"The rising value of used vehicles and vehicle parts has also made this type of offending more profitable," he said.
He also said vehicle theft investigations had become more complex because offenders often operated across force boundaries.
"Devon and Cornwall Police remains committed to pursuing all available lines of inquiry and bringing offenders to justice wherever the evidence supports it," he said.
Devon and Cornwall Police has its own advice on how to deter vehicle thieves.
Sgt Owen Messenger, from the force's road casualty reduction team, said vehicle owners can take simple steps to make themselves less of a target.
He said one of the easiest ways to protect keyless vehicles was to keep keys in a Faraday pouch or box, which blocks the electronic signal that thieves can use to gain access to a car.
He also suggested keeping keys away from front doors, where criminals may be able to amplify the signal from outside a property.
He also recommended aftermarket immobilisers and alarm systems to make a vehicle as difficult and time-consuming to steal as possible.
"Essentially you're trying to make it more and more difficult for the thief to take your car," he said.
"The longer it takes them to do it, the less likely they are to try and do it, because there's more chance of them getting caught."
Messenger said he personally fitted aftermarket security systems to cars he believed were at greater risk of theft because he considered the extra expense worthwhile to protect his investment.
