Nine ambulances, four bin lories and even a fire engine were among more than 100,000 vehicles stolen in Britain last year, according to official records.
There is ‘literally no type of vehicle that someone won’t steal’ as owners reported hearses, concrete mixers and sewage tank emptiers missing in 2023, the RAC Foundation said.
Fifteen livestock transporters, seven ride-on lawnmowers, three road sweepers and two tar sprayers were also among the oddball machines and vehicles pinched by criminals, the motoring research found scouring government data.
*This is Money exclusively reveals the full list of 106,524 vehicle types stolen in 2023. See the full list at the bottom of the page.
Unsurprisingly, given the rise in use of new tactics to target keyless technology in recent years, the most common vehicle body types stolen tend to be passenger cars. But there are a lot of obscure vehicles that were taken unlawfully last year. We take a look at the numbers
The figures were issued to the Driver and Vehicle Licencing Agency (DVLA) in response to a Freedom of Information request and relate to stolen vehicle reports made by police forces last year.
Steve Gooding, RAC Foundation director, said: ‘Some [of the vehicles] will be taken for resale, some for a joyride, but many will be broken up for parts or shipped abroad out of the way of prying eyes,’ as he explained why such a broad selection of machinery had been pinched last year.
‘Commercial vehicles seem surprisingly vulnerable possibly because of their inherent value or maybe for components.
‘The data is a warning to us all that we need to think about how we can make the thieves’ task more difficult, however large or small the vehicle, and no matter whether it is kept on the road, in a shed or a locked garage.
‘We all lose out every time an insurer pays up after a theft, as premiums rise a bit more.’
Five-door hatchback cars were the most stolen vehicle type in 2023. Some 24,518 were taken from their rightful keepers last year. Pictured: Ford Fiesta, Britain’s most stolen car model of all
The most common vehicles pinched
Given the spate of motor crime and rise in use of new tactics to target keyless technology in recent years, the most common vehicle body types stolen tend to be passenger cars.
This is Money exclusively revealed earlier this year that 64,087 cars were reported stolen to the DVLA in 2023, up from 61,106 the year previous – an increase of 4.9 per cent.
The Ford Fiesta – Britain’s most owned car – was reported stolen most frequently with 5,976 reported as having been taken without the consent of owners last year – that’s one every 88 minutes.
The Ford Focus (2,120) and VW Golf (2,038) made up the three most-nicked models, though somewhat unsurprisingly given their relative popularity.
Two wheels were also targeted in high numbers, including 18,673 stolen motorcycles, 2,826 pinched scooters and 1,133 nicked mopeds
The new data supplied to us by RAC Foundation shows that it was five-door hatchbacks that were most prominently targeted as 24,518 were reported stolen in total last year.
This is followed by estate cars (20,685), motorbikes (18,673) and small vans (11,172).
It was various passenger car body types that dominated the list of frequently-pinched motors, with 6,110 three-door hatchbacks going missing in 2023, followed by 5,751 four-door saloons and 3,141 coupes.
Scooters, which are mainly targeted in big cities, particularly London, were eighth in the rankings of most stolen as 2,826 were snatched from their rightful owners in the previous calendar year.
MPVs (2,502), convertibles (1,504) and pick-up trucks (1,430) were also commonly picked off, with mopeds (1,133) also stolen in sizable numbers.
Over 1,000 tipper trucks were stolen from owners in 2023, the DVLA records show
Some 362 tractors of varying types were stolen in 2023. Given their very high value, agricultural vehicles like this are targeted more often than many think
Vehicles types targeted in surprisingly high volumes
While it won’t come as a surprise that popular hatchbacks, motorcycles and scooters were stolen in large numbers last year, there are some vehicles with theft statistics higher than you might expect.
This includes more than 1,000 tipper trucks (1,093) that were pinched in 2023, some 653 drop-side lorries, 103 flat lorries and 78 curtain-sided HGVs.
Some 554 motorhomes and caravans were also stolen and 362 tractors – some of which can be extremely high in value.
Among the high theft numbers – given their relative low numbers – were tricycles (or trikes) as 79 were pinched last year
The DVLA records show that 55 taxis were stolen last year, which would have been costly to the owners’ means of earning a living
The official Government data shows that38 forklift trucks were stolen in the previous calendar year
Sizable theft: The data also shows that 26 telehandlers (pictured) were stolen in 2023
Among the high theft numbers – given their relative low numbers – were tricycles (or trikes) as 79 were pinched last year, while 55 taxi drivers have their means of earning a living stolen last year.
We were also shocked to learn that 38 forklift trucks were nicked in the previous calendar year, along with 26 telehandlers.
The DVLA says 15 livestock transporters were pinched during the previous calendar year
Really obscure vehicles that were stolen
Now comes the low volume thefts but of motors and machinery you really wouldn’t consider high on the target list for thieves and organised criminals.
This includes 19 skiploaders, 15 livestock transporter wagons and 13 breakdown trucks.
Incredibly, 12 buses and coaches (including three double-deckers), nine ambulances and seven ride-on lawnmowers were pinched in 2023.
Of the 12 buses and coaches stolen in total last year, three were double-deckers, the data says
Call 999: Incredibly, 9 ambulances were stolen last year, which would have made for interesting phone calls to the emergency services number to report each one
Six car transporters – hopefully not laden with cars like the one pictured – were hijacked in 2023
Criminals cleaning up: Three street-sweeping vehicles were stolen in 2023
Two steamrollers were pinched from sites last year, the Driver and Vehicle Licencing Agency’s record show
Six car transporters (hopefully not laden with new cars) were hijacked as well as four hydraulic excavators and the same number of refuse bin lorries.
Three street-sweeping machines were also stolen in the 12 months and two steamrollers.
Among the really unlikely vehicles you’d think to be targeted included single vehicle thefts of a hearse, fire engine, cement mixer and a tanker.
Among the single vehicle type thefts in 2023 was one refuse bin lorry that was pinched
Heartless: Showing just how low some criminals will stoop, one of the 106,524 vehicles pinched last year was a hearse
Criminals even managed to steal one fire engine last year, the FOI request revealed
And, somewhat unfathomably, there was a theft of a sewage tank emptier.
See the full list of stolen motors and machinery by type in the list below:
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