CAR thefts have soared by 50 per cent in the last five years, and some makes and models are more popular with thieves than others.

New data has revealed the 10 models of car most targeted by thieves last year.

With car thefts on the rise, figures from the DVLA show that more than 56,000 cars were stolen between November 2018 and November 2019 - equivalent to 154 cars per day.

According to the data, which covers vehicles reported as stolen to the DVLA, Britain’s most popular car with buyers was also the most popular with thieves, with the Ford Fiesta the most stolen car in the country.

The information was released following a Freedom of Information request by leasing firm Rivervale Leasing and shows that 2,384 Fiestas were stolen last year.

Behind the small hatchback, the Range Rover was the most stolen model, with 1,917 examples of the high-end SUV reported as stolen to the DVLA.

THE TOP TEN

  1. Ford Fiesta (2,384)
  2. Range Rover (1,917)
  3. Volkswagen Golf (1,331)
  4. Ford Focus (1,200)
  5. BMW 3 Series (1.042)
  6. Land Rover Discovery (791)
  7. Vauxhall Astra (836)
  8. Mercedes-Benz E-Class (612)
  9. BMW 5 Series (506)
  10. Audi A3 (456)

Other models from the UK’s best-seller list also make the top 10 of stolen vehicles, including the Volkswagen Golf (1,331), Ford Focus (1,200) and BMW 3 Series (1.042).

Alongside the Range Rover other premium models in the top 10 include the Land Rover Discovery (791), Mercedes-Benz E-Class (612), BMW 5 Series (506), and Audi A3 (456).

Data collected from the Office for National Statistics between 2008 and 2018 show that just two in five stolen vehicles are recovered and that three quarters of them come back damaged. One in five are written off completely.

Keyless theft on the rise

Separate data from vehicle recovery firm Tracker shows that “keyless” thefts have risen again, with 92 per cent of vehicles it recovered last year taken without the keys. That’s up from 88 per cent in 2018 and 66 per cent in 2016.

Tracker’s list of most stolen and recovered vehicles varies from the DVLA data, dominated by premium models which are more likely to have the firm’s tracking hardware fitted. In fact, data from the ONS shows only six per cent of car have a tracking device fitted.

According to its data, the Range Rover Sport was the car most likely to be taken (and subsequently recovered). However, several of the cars on its list are also among those named in the DVLA figures, including the Mercedes-Benz E-Class, Land Rover Discovery, Range Rover, and BMW 3 Series.