Newly released figures have exposed a stark failure in tackling vehicle crime across England and Wales, with a staggering three out of every four car thefts going unsolved by police last year.
Shocking Scale of Unsolved Vehicle Crime
Data compiled by the House of Commons library shows that 76% of all car thefts in 2024 ended without a resolution. The analysis, which covers police forces across England and Wales, reveals a postcode lottery for justice, with performance varying dramatically between regions.
The worst-performing area was the Metropolitan Police, responsible for London, where a shocking 88% of all car theft incidents were left unsolved. This means that for nearly nine in ten victims in the capital, no one was held accountable for the crime.
Several other forces also recorded alarmingly high rates of unsolved cases. The British Transport Police, alongside South Yorkshire, City of London, Sussex, and Warwickshire police forces, all reported that over 80% of car thefts in their areas were not solved. Out of the 44 police forces analysed, a massive 35 had an overall unsolved case rate of 60% or higher.
Political Reaction and Proposed Solutions
The Liberal Democrats have seized upon the data, calling for a major crackdown on what they describe as an epidemic. The party's home affairs spokesman, MP Max Wilkinson, condemned the situation, stating that victims are repeatedly left without support.
"It’s a disgrace and communities deserve so much better," Wilkinson said. "The previous Conservative government betrayed our communities with years of self-defeating cuts to our police forces – and now the current Labour Government must not turn a blind eye."
The Lib Dems are advocating for the creation of a specialist team based at the National Crime Agency (NCA). This unit would be tasked with pooling intelligence from various sources, including data from automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras, insurance records, and intelligence from police forces and border control. The aim is to specifically target organised criminal networks believed to be behind a significant portion of vehicle crime.
Government Response and New Laws
In response to the figures, a Home Office spokesman acknowledged the devastating impact of vehicle theft on individuals, families, and businesses. The spokesman stated that for too long, not enough has been done to prevent these crimes or bring perpetrators to justice.
The Government pointed to its own actions, noting that vehicle crime fell by 12% in the year to June 2025, with a specific 7% reduction in vehicle theft. They also highlighted new legislation being introduced to ban electronic devices commonly used by criminals to bypass a car's security systems.
Under these new laws, criminals caught using such devices to steal vehicles could face up to five years in prison. The Home Office added that it is working to train police officers on the latest methods used by thieves and is collaborating with the automotive industry to address security vulnerabilities in modern vehicles.
Despite these measures, the stark data from the House of Commons library suggests that for the vast majority of victims, the prospect of seeing justice done remains disappointingly low, fuelling calls for more decisive and coordinated action.
