London postcodes dominate UK car theft hotspots

The highest rate of car theft in the UK takes place across London, according to new research.

Insurance comparison site MoneySupermarket analysed more than 5.8 million car insurance enquiries between July 1, 2019 and June 30, 2020, and found the postcode for Ilford, East London, had the highest theft rate of 20.32 thefts per 1,000 people.

This was followed by Romford, also in East London, with a rate of 19.05 followed by Birmingham in the Midlands, which rounded out the top three with a rate of 16.51.

However, the English capital dominated the rest of the list, with North London, Bromley and South West London taking fourth, fifth and sixth respectively, while East London was ninth.

When calculated by region, London took top spot with a rate of 11.2 thefts per 1,000 people, followed by the West Midlands (10.9) and Yorkshire and the Humber (7.9).

When it comes to the safest place for drivers to leave their cars, Scotland features prominently with the six safest spots in the UK. The safest place of all is the town of Kirkwall on the Orkney Islands (0.55), followed by Inverness (0.81), Perth (1.11), Galashiels (1.15), Dumfries and Galloway (1.22) and Dundee (1.28).

Despite dominating the safest locations list, the South West of England sees fewer thefts overall with a rate of 2.7.

Dave Merrick, car insurance expert at MoneySuperMarket, said: “When comparing car insurance quotes, providers will take your location into account which may impact the cost of your premiums. Fully comprehensive car insurance policies are a good option for drivers to protect themselves from theft, accidental damages and loss of personal items.

“Having the right car insurance in place for your needs will help minimise the financial impact of theft. If your policy is up for renewal, make sure you shop around for the best deal – doing so can save you up to £287.163.”