Car keys prove top target for burglars

Greater Manchester is the worst area outside of London for cars being stolen after the keys have been seized by robbery or burglary, new figures show.

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith revealed, in an answer to a parliamentary question, that 1,851 cars were stolen after burglaries and 627 after robberies last year in Greater Manchester.

The 2,478 total was second only to the Met with 3,479 and ahead of West Yorkshire with 2,225 and the West Midlands with 1,411.

The AA says thieves are raiding more homes to snatch the keys of vehicles as it’s the only way to drive off with modern cars armed with security devices, immobilisers and alarms. There are fears that thieves are becoming more sophisticated and violent in their methods.
Nationally, the theft of car keys in burglaries and robberies has soared by 15 per cent over the past year with 50 vehicles taken a day.

AA President Edmund King said: “The criminals target keys as the weakest link in the car security chain. Last year 15,700 cars were stolen after keys were taken in a burglary and 2,900 cars stolen after keys taken in muggings, pick–pocketing or car jacking.

“The AA advises all car drivers to treat their car keys like cash — guard and protect your keys to keep hold of your car.”

The 18,600 vehicles represents 11% of the 170,000 cars stolen in total last year.

Criminals will use fishing rods to grab keys through letterboxes or burgle properties as the owner is asleep. Keys have also been stolen from workplaces, gym lockers and changing rooms.

Once vehicles are taken they will be left in supermarket car parks or remote locations to see if they are recovered by police.

If not, they are sold on, often after details are cloned from an identical car, shipped abroad in containers or used in other crimes.

Older cars are more likely to be used for carrying out other crimes or joyriding and then left burned out.

AA Car Insurance director Simon Douglas said: “We are certainly seeing more claims where cars have been taken following a confrontation or where customers have found their car has disappeared off the drive and the keys have gone because their home was broken into.”

Researchers working for the AA found three quarters of people remain worried about vehicle crime despite huge security improvements.

Superintendent Chris Sykes said: that one in three burglaries is still down to homes being left insecure.