So says In-Car Cleverness, the vehicle-to-business specialist, as policing watchdog Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) says that common offences such as car crime are ‘on the verge of being decriminalised’.

According to the latest Home Office statistics, 24,000 businesses suffered vehicle related thefts in 2013 – the equivalent of 6.9 crimes per one hundred premises.

Historically, 100% of vehicle thefts from companies are reported to the authorities.

‘As well as the material cost of any losses and wasted business time spent dealing with the aftermath of vehicle crime, fleet insurance premiums are impacted significantly if losses have to be registered,’ said Steve Evans, CEO of In-Car Cleverness.

‘Going forward, they will have to rely more and more on advanced telematics to protect their assets and reduce the distraction and disruption of theft and recovery.’

Evans added that the recent HMIC findings merely confirmed what has already been a background trend in recent years.

APU Ltd, the motor fraud investigation sister company of In-Car Cleverness, has seen the mounting pressure on police resources push vehicle theft down the priority list, especially for its corporate clients.

‘Protection has always been down to the individual, but it’s fair to say that detection and recovery has unofficially become a “privatised” service,’ said Evans. ‘Technology may not always act as a deterrent for the hard-core criminals, but it can protect the tangible and intangible costs associated with thefts for businesses.’