New research from QuestGates shows that thefts of Land Rover vehicles have fallen sharply. In particular, thefts of Range Rover Evoque models less than three years old dropped by 77% last year. This decline has pushed Land Rover out of the top 10 most stolen cars under three years old in the UK.
This improvement follows several recent actions by Jaguar Land Rover (JLR). In October 2023, JLR intervened in the insurance market to tackle rising premiums for Range Rover owners, caused by high theft rates. Then, in June 2024, JLR invested £1 million to support UK police forces, enhancing efforts to prevent vehicle theft.
Philip Swift, technical director of motor at QuestGates, praised these measures: “JLR deserves significant credit for security upgrades that effectively deter professional criminals targeting new cars. Fewer thefts lead to fewer insurance claims, lower costs, and better outcomes for policyholders.”
The analysis is based on full-year data from the DVLA on lost or stolen vehicles, focusing on thefts of cars under three years old. While overall UK vehicle thefts decreased by 4.5% last year, thefts of models under three years old actually rose by 6.6%.
QuestGates also found a sharp rise in thefts of Toyota vehicles, especially the Hilux pickup, which saw a 549% increase year-on-year.
Swift commented: “The surge in Toyota Hilux thefts shows criminals are shifting focus based on the value and demand for specific models. We advise owners to take immediate steps to secure their vehicles.”
