Car thieves are turning their focus to fully electric cars and hybrids in line with changing new car market dynamics, Tracker has warned.

Increasing demand for hybrids and fully electric cars means there’s a greater risk of these vehicles being targeted by thieves

The vehicle security expert has published its top 10 league table of the most stolen and recovered league table – and it includes a hybrid for the first time as Lexus becomes a target for thieves.

The data confirms that the Range Rover Sport continues to be its most commonly stolen and recovered car. It’s taken the number one spot for the fourth consecutive year. In total, 42% of stolen cars recovered by Tracker in 2022 were Range Rover and Land Rover models.

However, Tracker’s 2022 data has also revealed that not only has another premium SUV model become favourable among thieves, but hybrid vehicles are now rich pickings for criminals. The Lexus RX 450h enters the league table, which is the first time a Lexus vehicle has ever appeared in its annual review of stolen and recovered vehicles. A sharp rise in thefts of the RX 450h in the second half of the year also indicates it’s likely to remain a target for thieves.

Clive Wain, head of police liaison at Tracker, said: “As the UK accelerates towards its ambition of achieving zero emissions, so too has the take-up of hybrid and electric vehicles by private and company car drivers. And with increasing demand comes a greater risk of these vehicles being targeted by thieves.”

The 2022 data also highlights that it’s not just premium and nearly new cars being targeted by thieves, but also older second-hand models due to higher demand on the back of new car shortages.

2022 saw a UK boom in ‘chop-shops’ – buildings containing stolen vehicles to be stripped down for their expensive parts to be sold on, on the black market. Police uncovered 32 chop shops in 2022 as a result of Tracker-activated stolen vehicle recovery – over a 300% increase on the number of chop shop closures recorded by Tracker since 2021.

Keyless car theft and ‘relay attack’ also remains a problem. While it remained on par year-on-year, with 93% of all vehicles recovered by Tracker stolen without the key present, this is significantly up on the figure of 80% in 2017.

Wain added: “It remains a difficult time for car owners but a multi-layer approach to vehicle security will go a long way in protecting vehicles. Criminals continue to find ways around new security technology, which is why we always encourage motorists to use traditional security deterrents such as crook locks and wheel clamps to deter criminals and protect their vehicles.

“An investment in smart doorbells or a CCTV system are also increasingly popular amongst those keen to guard against unwanted visitors. Indeed, they have become a valuable means to helping police solve vehicle crime. However, in the event of a theft, stolen vehicle tracking technology will significantly help police quickly locate the vehicle and return it to its rightful owner before it is sold on, broken down for parts or shipped abroad.”

Top 10 models recovered by Tracker in 2022

• Range Rover Sport
• Range Rover Autobiography
• Range Rover Vogue
• Land Rover Discovery
• Mercedes-Benz E-Class
• Lexus RX 450h
• Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
• BMW 3 Series and X5, Mercedes-Benz S-Class and E-Class
• Range Rover Evoque
• Land Rover Defender, VW Golf and Mercedes-Benz CL-Class