CAR THEFT DROPPING
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| Article date: 19/08/2005 : 12:55:11 |
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A new report released by Churchill Car Insurance shows car thefts have halved in the last five years.
The insurer calculates that car thefts have fallen from 504,000 in 2000 to just over a quarter of a million in 2005.
The top three most secure cars have been named as the Citroen Xsara Picasso SX 16v 2000, the Honda Jazz SE 2002 and the Ford Fiesta Zetec 1999.
Meanwhile the top three most vulnerable targets are the Vauxhall Belmont Merit 1989, the Vauxhall Nova 1.2 Luxe 1991 and Vauxhall Astra Merit 1994.
The head of car insurance at Churchill, Darren McCauley, puts the reduction down to an increase in technology.
"Security systems in cars have become much more sophisticated in recent years."
"Compulsory fitting of immobilisers in new cars has been a major factor in the reduction of car theft and modern cars are hard to steal unless in possession of the keys."
The insurer found that older cars are more susceptible to theft and the most commonly stolen cars are either no longer manufactured or now have modern, more secure equivalents.
Mr McCauley pointed out the most vulnerable cars are unlikely to be stolen for re-sale, but rather stolen by joy riders who then simply dump them.
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