UK police forces uncovered a record 60 illegal ‘chop shops’ in 2024, underlining the UK’s growing car theft epidemic.

UK police forces shut down a record number of chop shops in 2024

The raids, carried out with the help of stolen vehicle recovery expert Tracker, compare to just two chop shops found in 2020 and reveal the rapid growth of organised crime gangs in using chop shops to dismantle stolen cars, strip them of parts and sell them on for profit.

As well as shutting down an unparalleled number of chop shops, UK police forces also made 144 arrests – an increase of 80% year-on-year.

The discovery of these illegal chop shops was a direct result of police locating stolen vehicles fitted with Tracker devices, which feature both traditional GPS/GSM location technology but also the firm’s patented VHF system, which prevents signal jamming. This method is frequently employed by thieves to mask a vehicle’s whereabouts, such as chop shops.

The successful raids were not only a triumph for Tracker’s customers but also for other car theft victims. In addition to the Tracker-fitted stolen vehicles found in chop shops last year, another 179 other stolen vehicles hidden in the same locations were also recovered and returned to their rightful owners.

Clive Wain, head of police liaison at Tracker, said the UK is seeing “unprecedented demand for good quality second-hand parts” due to drivers keeping their vehicles for longer amid the cost-of-living crisis, while at the same time the cost of car parts has increased markedly.

“Professional criminals have been quick to take advantage and meet demand,” he went on. “And it’s not just premium marques that thieves are targeting. We are increasingly recovering models manufactured in high-volumes, such as the Nissan Juke and Kia Sportage.”

Tracker is supported by all 43 police forces in the UK and more than 2,000 police cars and all police helicopters are equipped with its technology.

But Wain said that despite the record number of chop shop closures and arrests, the car crime epidemic is not waning. According to DVLA figures obtained via a Freedom of Information request, 2024 saw the third-highest number of cars stolen in the past decade.

“Whilst manufacturers are investing heavily in vehicle security to combat tech-savvy thieves, the culprits are quick to adapt,” he went on. “Indeed, we are seeing criminals revert to ‘old school’ methods to steal cars, such as breaking into houses or physically threatening and assaulting owners to take keys.

‘It’s clear owners need to do all they can to keep their vehicles safe and whilst a Tracker device won’t stop a car from being stolen, it will significantly increase the chances of it being recovered before it’s been broken down for parts.”