LoginVehicles Stolen or Written Off in the UK (2024)
According to Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) data that was released recently, there were 61,343 vehicles reported stolen in the UK during 2024. This is more than 168 cars stolen every day, or one every 8.5 minutes. While this is a 6% decrease from 2023, it is still the third-highest annual theft total in the last 10 years.*
This information was recently made public in response to Freedom of Information requests that were made to the DVLA.
Vehicles Written Off in the UK in 2024
Comprehensive data on the number of vehicles that were written off in the UK during 2024 is not so easily available. A write-off happens when a motor insurer decides that repairing a vehicle is not economical. This is usually after an accident that has resulted in extensive damage, or unrecovered thefts. While motor insurers paid out more than £640 million in claims for stolen vehicles in 2024, the exact number of write-offs was not made public.
Based on the current high rate of theft and that only about 50% of stolen vehicles are recovered (based on 2020 data from Tracker), a significant number of the 61,343 stolen vehicles may have been written off because they were not recovered. Write-offs due to accidents would simply add to this figure, however, exact numbers for 2024 have not been provided.
Key Insights
- Theft trends: The most stolen vehicle in 2024 was the Ford Fiesta with 4,446 incidents, followed by Volkswagen Golf and Ford Focus, largely due to their popularity and the demand for spare parts.
- Write-off context: Write-offs are linked to thefts where vehicles are not recovered and to accident damage. The £640 million in theft-related claims suggests a substantial number of vehicles, though exact figures are lacking.
Conclusion
In 2024, approximately 61,343 vehicles were stolen in the UK with detailed data on vehicles written off not publicly available, although theft-related write-offs and accident claims will undoubtedly make this a significant number.
