A total of 14,300 premium cars were stolen in the UK between January and October this year in a figure which is almost double the same period in 2015. A massive 67,700 premium and luxury cars were stolen over the past five years as thieves honed in on expensive assets.
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The analysis from Direct Line Car insurance reveals one luxury car is stolen every 38 minutes on average in an alarming shock to owners of high-value vehicles.
Premium cars have accounted for nearly two-fifths of all reported car thefts in an increase on the 31 percent noted in 2015.
DirectLine is predicting this year could see a record number of premium vehicle thefts after planned increases over winter months.
They say October alone counts for 10 percent of all premium car thefts in a figure which is 25 percent higher than the average month.
However, car thefts could soar in the final months of the year if history repeats itself.
November 2018 saw a record number of premium car thefts as almost 1,900 were taken by criminals.
On average one in nine premium cars taken in 2018 were stolen during November at an average rate of 63 each day or one every 23 minutes.
DirectLine claims owners of premium cars have a 48 percent higher risk of having their vehicle stolen than those who have an average road vehicle.
This can be increased depending on your location and motorists in London are at a higher risk of losing their vehicles to criminals.
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London has accounted for more than one-third of all premium car thefts over the past half a decade as one luxury car gets stolen every two hours on average.
Premium car thefts are popular in the capital and almost half of all car thefts are those considered a luxury motor, according to Direct Line.
Around 65 percent of all vehicles stolen across the country are taken from an owner’s home address but this shockingly increases to 71 percent for premium vehicles.
Steve Barrett, head of motor insurance at Direct Line confirmed premium car brands were at heightened risk of being stolen and urged motorists to take precautions to avoid their cars being easy targets for thieves.
He added: “Many owners believe that parking in their driveway can be an effective deterrent to thieves, though our research shows that parking in driveways does not deter thieves.
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“We would, therefore, encourage policyholders to protect their cars by investing in anti-theft equipment, such as a steering wheel lock.”
Mr Barrett added simple and effective devices can make their vehicles harder to steal and can put thieves off stealing a car for fear of being caught.
How to protect my premium car
Alongside the warning to motorists, DirectLine has revealed their top tips for protecting a supercar with simple methods.
Keep a car locked
Pretty simple you would have thought. However, DirectLine warns some modern locking systems are so sophisticated it can be difficult to hear the click when the vehicle locks.
Motorists should always check their vehicle is secure before leaving it unattended, especially if the engine is running.
Invest in technology
Investing in locks for a steering wheel, pedal and gears are easy to install and put criminals off trying to steal a car.
Tracking devices and CCTV cameras also deter criminals and can help law police track a vehicle if it is stolen.
Protect your keys
DirectLine urges motorists to always keep their car keys out of sight so motorists cannot grab them easily.
Keyless car theft is a growing problem for manufacturers as criminals use sophisticated technology to break code on a locked car to gain easy access.
DirectLine urge motorists to invest in a Faraday Pouch which shields your key from the cyber technology to avoid them hacking into a car.
Parks sensibly
Road users should park in a well-lit and populated area when possible as this can deter thieves from trying to steal your car.
Criminals will target areas where they have a chance to not get caught and will mainly focus on vehicles which have parked out of sight on a quiet side road.
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