Police are warning drivers of a spike in vehicle thefts, with Merseyside being one of the worst hit regions.
It comes as crooks are using "fob jammers" and taking only minutes to steal cars. Superintendent Jim Munro of West Midlands Police has told motorists that even leaving vehicles in car parks for only a few minutes can pose a risk, reported The Mirror.
The worst-hit regions for car thefts are South Yorkshire (up 28%), City of London (up 25%), West Midlands (up 19%), Surrey (up 12%), Merseyside (up 4%) and Greater Manchester (up 1%). There were 88,915 car thefts during the year to March 7 - that's a theft every six minutes, according to PA news agency.
READ MORE: Warning after keyless car thefts in one Merseyside area
Criminals are increasingly stealing cars not to sell them - but to strip them and sell them for parts. The UK is seeing a shortage of car parts because factories around the world shut during Covid-19 lockdowns, leading to a backlog of orders. To make things worse, there is also a global shortage of semiconductor chips - used in car electronics.
Superintendent Munro said: "What we've seen over the pandemic is there are some issues around parts supply coming into the motor industry and delays with builds. What we've seen in the West Midlands is likewise what we've seen across the piece nationally - there is a desire for certain vehicle parts, and this is fuelling the theft of motor vehicle crimes."
Stolen cars are often taken to 'chop shops' where they can be broken down within hours of the theft. The Superintendent warned drivers that some thieves use special gadgets to help pinch cars. He said: "They're using devices in order to block signals where people are trying to lock their cars with their fobs.
"When you're locking your vehicle, make sure that vehicle is locked, that the signal is not being blocked, no matter how long you're leaving the vehicle for. Whether it's just to pop into the shop, make sure your car is always secure."
And it is not just expensive cars being targeted. Mr Munro said common cars are normally the ones stolen for parts, because of the high demand for repairs. He added these have “a particular high value because of the amount of people that want those”.
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