New statistics have unveiled that 75% of car theft cases remained unresolved in the past year.
Research from the House of Commons library indicates that a concerning 76% of car theft incidents were left unsolved last year, with the Metropolitan police force having the poorest performance, leaving 88% of cases unresolved.
The British Transport Police, South Yorkshire, City of London, Sussex, and Warwickshire police forces all reported over 80% of car thefts unsolved. Out of the 44 police forces in England and Wales, 35 forces had a high rate of 60% of cases unsolved.
According to the Home Office, vehicle crime decreased by 12% in the year leading to June 2025, with a 7% drop in vehicle theft. Furthermore, new legislation is being introduced to prohibit electronic devices used for evading a car’s security, with offenders facing up to five years in prison.
The Liberal Democrats are advocating for the establishment of a specialized team within the National Crime Agency to coordinate data from automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras, insurance records, and intelligence from law enforcement and border control to combat organized car crime networks.
Max Wilkinson MP, the Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman, expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of support for crime victims and called for a crackdown on car theft to apprehend organized criminal groups.
A spokesperson from the Home Office emphasized the severe impact of vehicle theft on individuals, families, businesses, and the wider community, underscoring the government and police’s collaborative efforts to address the issue through new laws and enhanced training for law enforcement officers.