New analysis of Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency Lost or Stolen data shows a welcome drop in vehicle crime during 2025, alongside improved recovery performance.
Research by QuestGates found that overall vehicle thefts declined by 11.36%, falling from 102,240 in 2024 to 90,625 in 2025. For private cars, the reduction was even stronger at 13.30%, down from 61,857 to 53,629.
The most stolen makes last year were:
Ford
BMW
Toyota
While the most targeted models were:
Ford Fiesta
Volkswagen Golf
Ford Focus
On average, stolen cars were around eight years old, suggesting many were taken for parts.
There was also progress in recovery. The percentage of stolen cars successfully found rose from 42.48% to 44.94%, and the average time to recovery shortened from 27.1 days to 25.6 days.
Philip Swift said the findings point to “encouraging trends”, with fewer write offs recorded across all categories.
For fleets and insurers, the improving picture offers cautious optimism, although regional differences remain under review.