New data from Tracker shows a continuing trend of rising vehicle thefts, as keyless ‘relay attacks’ surge and demand for hybrid cars grows.

The hybrid Lexus RX 450h is now the second most stolen and recovered vehicle in Tracker’s league table

The tracking solutions specialist’s new figures for the first half of 2023 reveal overall recoveries increased by a third (33%) year on year.

Stolen car recoveries increased by 39.5% and light commercial vehicles (LCVs) by 19%, while motorcycle recoveries leapt up by 113%.

The data also shows that keyless car theft and ‘relay attack’ continues to grow, having increased steadily for many years. In 2017, 80% of all vehicles stolen and recovered were stolen without using the owner’s keys, and the latest data reveals that 93% of thefts are carried out without the keys.

Tracker also published its most stolen and recovered cars league table for the first six months of 2023. Once again, the majority of stolen cars recovered by Tracker were Range Rover and Land Rover models, with the Range Rover Sport retaining its top spot.

But the hybrid Lexus RX 450h is now the second most stolen and recovered vehicle, after having entered Tracker’s top 10 table for the first time in 2022, taking sixth position.

In joint third place are the Range Rover Vogue, Mercedes-Benz C-Class and Mercedes-Benz S-Class – all familiar sights in the league table.

The highest value stolen car recovered by Tracker in January to June 2023 was a Mercedes-Benz AMG with a retail price of £182,000. The lowest value car recovered was an Audi A4, valued at just £1,000.

“The ongoing shortage of new and used vehicles as well as spare parts is still having an impact on thefts, even though the supply chain challenges have eased slightly in recent months,” commented Clive Wain, head of police liaison at Tracker. “However, zero emissions ambitions and the growing number of clean air and zero emissions zones, as well as the expansion of London’s Ultra Low Emissions Zone are driving a surge in sales of electric and hybrid vehicles.

“Unfortunately, when we see a trend in car sales, we know that will very quickly be reflected in car thefts, as demonstrated by the Lexus RX 450h moving rapidly up to second place in our most-recovered table. Professional criminals steal to order, and to meet market demand, so it is unsurprising to see a hybrid being stolen so often. We expect to see an even greater number of low and zero emissions vehicles in our list of recoveries, taking more of the top spots.”