London revealed as van theft capital of UK
London has been revealed as the van theft capital of the UK, based on analysis of data from a Freedom of Information request.
Dayinsure requested data from police authorities across the UK, with 25 responding.
The figures showed that there were 14,529 van break-ins or thefts in London last year alone, meaning 40 vans were targeted in the city every single day. Most of these cases related to theft from vans (11,532), while 2,997 cases of stolen vans were reported to the Met police force.
Of the stolen vehicles, more than half (1,604) were not recovered, while 923 were recovered intact and 470 were recovered damaged.
Van theft hotspots
London was followed by West Yorkshire, where there were 902 van thefts and 1,071 thefts, while Essex police recorded 1,882 van-related crimes last year, with 1,476 break-ins and 406 thefts.
Other hotspots included Leicestershire Constabulary (1,237), Avon and Somerset (876), South Wales Police (751), Nottinghamshire Police (746), Northamptonshire Police (553), and South Yorkshire Police (533).
Comparatively, Dorset Police and Devon and Cornwall saw relatively low van crime numbers in 2023, with only 40 crimes recorded in each area.
Nicholas Shaw, director of operations at Dayinsure, said:
“As experts in van insurance, whether you are borrowing a van to move house or simply move large items around at another time, we recommend taking all the necessary precautions to protect the vehicle and its contents. Not keeping your vehicle secure, for example by leaving the door unlocked, could invalidate your insurance, leaving you without cover if your van is targeted by thieves.”
