Car theft: Here are Europe's top five countries and their regions

Car theft in the UK (and elsewhere) is on the rise. This is confirmed by the LoJack study, which predicts a 7% increase in 2023 compared with the previous year. In total, more than 1.5 million vehicles were stolen between 2013 and the present day, of which only 609,000 were subsequently recovered.

Given that there is no organic European study compiling all the data from the different countries, thanks to the various reports from Motor1.com's European editorial offices, we try to take stock of the situation by comparing our view with that of the main automotive markets in Europe.

Italy, 131,679 cars stolen

The figures from the "Car Theft File 2024 " study prepared by LoJack Italia show that in 2023 there were 131,679 thefts, 7% more than in 2022. The most stolen cars include three Fiat models: the Panda (12,571 thefts, almost 10% of the total), the 500 (5,889) and the Punto (4,604).

Fiat Panda

The 'red' areas are, in order, Campania, Lazio, Puglia, Sicily and Lombardy. In these regions, 80,559 of the 99,153 national flights were recorded, i.e. almost 80%. More specifically, Campania's lead remains unmatched with 26,045 thefts (+9% compared to 2022), followed by Lazio, with 16,912 thefts (also up last year, by 12%), Puglia (14,978), Sicily (13,174) and Lombardy (9,750 and +15% compared to 2022).

France: 70,649 cars stolen

According to an analysis by Ouest-France, the most stolen cars in France are... French. Of the 70,649 cars stolen in total in 2023 (+18.9% compared with 2021), Renault takes the top two places with the Clio IV achieving 2,378 thefts, while in second place is the Megane IV with 1,297. The podium is completed by the Peugeot 3008 second series, with 1,181 models.

Renault Megane IV

Unsurprisingly, the most 'coveted' brands are Renault and Peugeot, followed by Toyota. In order, the regions where the most thefts took place in 2023 are as follows: Paris, Hauts-de-Seine, Seine-Saint-Denis, Val d'Oise, Loire-Atlantique, Essonne, Val-de-Marne, Seine-et-Marne, Yvelines.

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United Kingdom: 64,000 cars stolen

According to RightReg data, more than 64,000 cars were stolen in the UK in 2023 (+5% compared with 2022), with the Top 3 models led by the Ford Fiesta with 5,979 missing. In second place is another Ford, the Focus, with 2,120 models, while in third place is the Volkswagen Golf with 2,038 models.

Ford Fiesta

The ranking of the most stolen brands is completely different, however, with Lexus, Land Rover and Jaguar in the top three places. Greater London, the West Midlands and Yorkshire are the regions where the most thefts are recorded.

Spain, 30,982 cars stolen

According to an analysis by Motor1.com Espana, 30,982 cars were stolen in 2023, 17.3% more than in 2022, when 24,990 disappeared. The three most 'wanted' brands are Mercedes (14.7% of the total), BMW (14.4%) and Toyota (16.6%). The Top 3 most stolen models include the Seat Ibiza (2,674 cars), the Volkswagen Golf (1,984) and the Seat Leon (1,762).

The cities most affected by car thefts are Ceuta, Santa Cruz De Tenerife, Barcelona, Seville and Madrid.

Seat Ibiza

Germany: 29,985 cars stolen

According to data provided by the German police, 29,985 car thefts were recorded in 2023, 17.5% more than in 2022.

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According to an analysis by the Gesamtverband der Versischerer, the three most popular models are the fourth-generation Jeep Grand Cherokee, the Kia Stinger and the third-generation Range Rover, while the three most popular brands are Volkswagen, Audi and Mercedes.

The cities where most thefts occur are Berlin, Hamburg and Brandenburg.

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