Ministers are facing urgent calls to establish a dedicated police unit to tackle car theft across the nation, as new figures reveal that more than three-quarters of cases went unsolved last year.
Analysis by the House of Commons library indicates a staggering 121,825 motor vehicles were reported stolen across England and Wales in the 2024-25 financial year.
Of these, a concerning 92,958 investigations were closed without a single suspect being identified, contributing to an average national unsolved rate of 76.3 per cent.
The Metropolitan Police recorded the highest proportion of unsolved cases, with 88.5 per cent of car thefts in the capital going unaddressed.
Other forces struggling significantly include British Transport Police (84.4 per cent), South Yorkshire (82.6 per cent), City of London (81.5 per cent), Sussex (81.1 per cent), and Warwickshire (80.7 per cent).
The analysis, commissioned by the Liberal Democrats, found that 35 out of 44 forces in England and Wales saw more than 60 per cent of their car theft investigations conclude without an identified suspect.
In response to these alarming figures, the Liberal Democrats are advocating for the creation of a specialist team within the National Crime Agency.
This unit would leverage data from automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras, insurance records, police intelligence, and border control to specifically target organised car crime networks.
Lib Dem home affairs spokesman Max Wilkinson stated: “Time and time again victims of crime are left without the support they need, it’s a disgrace and communities deserve so much better.
“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 to this epidemic. Enough is enough.
“That is why the Liberal Democrats are calling for a car theft crackdown, to finally catch the organised gangs and criminals who for far too long have been getting away with it.”
The Home Office, however, highlighted a 12 per cent reduction in vehicle crime and a 7 per cent drop in vehicle theft in the year leading up to June 2025.
They also pointed to new legislation designed to outlaw electronic devices used to bypass vehicle security, with criminals facing up to five years in prison for their use.
A Home Office spokesman commented: “Vehicle theft has a devastating impact on individuals, families, businesses, and the wider industry. For too long, not enough has been done to prevent these crimes or to bring those responsible to justice.
“This Government and the police are taking decisive action to change that – from introducing new laws to ban electronic devices used to steal vehicles, to training police officers on the methods used to steal vehicles and working with industry to address vulnerabilities in vehicles.”
