Keyless thefts and ‘devastating’ aftermaths: The UK’s ‘most stolen’ car brand and its Teesside impact

Land Rovers and Range Rovers are among the most luxurious, flashy and fashionable cars on the market.

But why are Land Rovers among the most stolen cars in the country – and also Range Rovers among those most nicked on Teesside?

New DVLA data reveals that the UK’s most popular stolen vehicle brand is Land Rover, with one in every hundred stolen in the year ending March 2023, the Daily Express reports.

This year, Teesside has seen a number of incidents involving stolen or suspected stolen Land Rovers; from a car that was snatched from a dealership to others being taken from driveways. Some incidents were dubbed as ‘keyless thefts’ – which is when a device fools the car into thinking the car’s real fob is nearby.

READ MORE: Teens arrested after suspected stolen Range Rover and taxi crash during police pursuit

The data was obtained through Freedom of Information requests by Confused.com, and revealed on the The National News website, according to the Daily Express.

Other recent data has shown that thefts across England and Wales, in general, are on the rise, with AA Insurance Services’ analysis of data from the Office for National Statistics showing a 25% increase in the number of cars being stolen in a year.

When approached by Teesside Live, Land Rover said that cars are becoming vulnerable to attacks due to the various ways a car can be stolen, as well as the frequency of vehicles being left unlocked. Being highly valuable and desirable vehicles, they risk becoming a target of criminal organisations or opportunist crooks.

Cleveland Police also added that Ford Fiestas, alongside Range Rovers, are among the most targeted vehicles on Teesside. A spokesperson said the keyless theft incidents predominantly happen between 10pm and 6am, and has issued advice on how to keep your car safe as it bids to identify those responsible.

Land Rovers and Range Rovers snatched on Teesside

Many incidents involving stolen cars have left a trail of devastation for owners, with many sharing pleas on social media and scrambling to make sense of their expensive loss.

Here’s a run down of some of those taken.

• Learner driver Claire Francis, from Stockton, woke up to find her £49k Range Rover Velar, a birthday present from her husband, had been snatched from her driveway last month. Read Claire’s story here.

• Another incident saw Tracey Holmes’ Land Rover get snatched from Stratstone Land Rover car dealership in Stockton overnight in April after she dropped it off for an MOT. She was left both “stunned and devastated” and shared a desperate plea on social media – with the car eventually being located in a car park in Stillington by police. Tracey’s ordeal can be read here.

• Just after ringing in the New Year, Danielle Doddridge also became the cruel victim of a Land Rover theft after her £20k Discovery was taken from her Saltburn drive. Despite capturing the moment on CCTV, the Marske Mill Lane resident was still left with no answers one month after the saga. The full story is here.

Danielle also claimed the police “couldn’t give a flying hoot” over what had gone on – but at the time, the force said officers reviewed CCTV footage, but that it “did not offer any evidence to identify those responsible for the theft.” It added that a number of lines of enquiry had been carried out and that “unfortunately the vehicle and those responsible have yet to be located.”

• One crash saw a stolen black Land Rover plough into the ground floor of a Thornaby flat after being briefly pursued by police. A picture from the scene shows the bonnet of the Land Rover buried in the bricks of the property. This article is available here.

• Most recently, a taxi driver was seriously injured after a suspected stolen Range Rover being pursued by police collided with the vehicle at Stockton’s Bridge Road, with the junction of Parkfield Road in the early hours of the morning on June 1. Scroll through our blog in the aftermath of this incident here.

• In January, a schoolboy was arrested after driving a Range Rover in a police chase along the A174. It came after a suspected so-called two-in-one burglary in which the flashy vehicle was stolen between 10.30pm on Tuesday, January 11, and 11am on Wednesday, January 12. Click here to read this story.

• And in 2022, police received reports of two Land Rovers being stolen overnight on Sunday, February 27 and Monday, February 28, in Ormesby and Nunthorpe, in keyless car thefts. Officers advised owners of such cars to buy Faraday bags – within which keys can be stored. Then the device blocks the signal from being intercepted by a potential thief with a device that would allow them to start a vehicle and drive off. That story can be read here.

Land Rover advice

A spokesperson from Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) said: “Protecting our clients from this level of organised crime is our priority. We have a team of dedicated experts working closely with police and partners – our proactive approach enables us to support criminal investigations; spot emerging trends earlier; and quickly determine and roll out measures that counter this criminality.

“One such solution includes UWB (ultra wide band) technology – JLR were the first manufacturer to integrate this into our vehicles to prevent ‘relay attacks’ (keyless). Our cars featuring this technology have been independently verified by the Which? and the ADAC.

“Our production vehicles are equipped with industry-leading security systems, and vehicles are fitted with Secure Tracker vehicle tracking systems – recently being rated by Thatcham Research as ‘superior’.

“We recommend clients use all available measures to protect their vehicle, including our ‘remote’ app to access a suite of security features such as vehicle lock reminders, and ‘guardian mode’ which monitors the vehicle, providing an alert if there is any unauthorised interaction.”

Range Rovers among ‘targeted’ vehicles on Teesside

A Cleveland Police spokesperson said: “After a recent spate of ‘keyless’ thefts of vehicles across Cleveland, drivers are being reminded to store digital key fobs securely. Predominantly the incidents happen between 10pm and 6am.

“Ford Fiesta’s are one of the main cars stolen, with Range Rovers and other Ford vehicles also targeted. Whilst officers continue to gather intelligence and work to identify those responsible, we would remind drivers to keep taking steps to help protect their vehicles.

“Cars with keyless entry unlock automatically when the key comes within a short distance of the car. This can be from inside a pocket or bag. If you have to push a button on your car key to open your car, you don’t have keyless entry.

“Keyless car theft or ‘relay theft’ is when a device is used to fool the car into thinking the key is close by. This unlocks the car and starts the ignition. Thieves only need to be within a few metres of your car key to capture the signal, even if it’s inside your home. This means that even if your car and home are secure, thieves can still unlock, start and steal your car.

“We would urge motorists to take all possible steps to protect their vehicles, including:

• When at home keep your car key/fob (and any spare) well away from the car.
• Consider buying the aforementioned Faraday pouch or similar to keep your car key/fob in. These pouches contain signal-blocking materials that stop your key transmitting its code, preventing crooks from being able to detect and amplify the signal. Check your manual or speak to your dealer to find out if your key can be switched off.
• Reprogramme your keys if you buy a second-hand car.
• Electronic devices can be used to jam the electronic signal from your key fob to lock your vehicle. Always manually check your vehicle has locked before walking away.

For further information on this or other crime prevention advice, please contact 101 to speak to your local crime prevention officer or visit the force website here.

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