Watford in top 10 for car theft, Co-op research finds

Between 2016 and 2020 the borough had the ninth highest rate of car theft claims as a percentage of policies in the area, according to research by Co-op Insurance.   

The borough is also the only area in the top 10 that is not in London - with Lambeth topping the list, followed by Kensington and Chelsea, Ealing, and Southwark.

Moray in Scotland was the patch with the UK's lowest frequency, while Mid Devon has the lowest rate in England.

Car crime incidents in the last six months in and around Watford, according to Co-op Insurance. Picture credit: Co-op Insurance.

Co-op Insurance also revealed the most targeted cars were Ford Fiesta, Ford Focus and Vauxhall Corsa, followed by Vauxhall Astra, Volkswagen Golf and Land Rover Evoque.

Land Rover Discovery, Audi A3, Mercedes C Class and Audi A4 make up the top 10.

Former car dealer Dominic Littlewood said: “Whether our cars are parked on the driveway or in an urban car park, they are vulnerable to car thieves who are becoming increasingly well organised in targeting the vehicles on their wish list.

"There are a number of really simple steps that car owners can take to make sure their vehicle doesn’t look so appealing – from simply turning your car wheels to face the kerb and investing in some simple deterrents like steering wheel locks."