Opening times:
Mon – Fri 8am – 10pm, Sat 9am – 5pm, Sun 9am – 10pm
Mon – Fri 8am – 10pm, Sat 9am – 5pm, Sun 9am – 10pm
Call Us:
0800 246 1482
Mon – Fri 8am – 10pm, Sat 9am – 5pm, Sun 9am – 10pm
Mon – Fri 8am – 10pm, Sat 9am – 5pm, Sun 9am – 10pm
Key Takeaways:
With a sinking heart, you call the police, submit the paperwork, and wait for the insurance claim to land.
But what happens next? Does your car end up in a police compound, waiting for some miracle reunion?
Sadly, for too many British drivers, the answer is far more sinister.
Your pride and joy stands a big chance of being shipped halfway across the world, dismantled for parts, or resold to buyers who never ask awkward questions about its origins.
In 2024, a car was stolen every five minutes in the UK, racking up £640 million in insurance payouts.
But the thieves aren’t your local opportunists looking at tearing up the nearby streets; instead, they are global operators with networks that span continents.
Research from Thatcham Research, the Berkshire-based not-for-profit that sets vehicle security standards, has revealed just how extensive this network is. It teamed up with the National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service (NaVCIS) to map out the export routes turning our stolen wheels into international commodities.
You can forget the old days of joyriders in hot hatches; today’s criminals are after premium motors, especially SUVs and luxury models. More than half of intercepted vehicles hail from high-end brands, and nearly eight in 10 are those rugged people-carriers we love for family runs and weekend getaways.
The theft of pickups is on the rise too, jumping from under 5% of thefts in 2023 to more than 16% last year, thanks to demand in volatile regions.
So, where exactly do these stolen pride-and-joys end up?
The data from 2021 to 2024 paints a picture of unlikely destinations and top of the list is a destination you wouldn’t guess.
It’s the Democratic Republic of Congo which accounts for 38.5% of traced exports. It might be in central Africa but it has a deep-water port and borders with nine neighbours, which makes it a perfect hub for redistribution.
Scarcity of spare parts there means a stolen Range Rover or BMW X5 can fetch a fortune, either whole or in bits. Thieves know this; they target vehicles that are tough to source locally, turning our everyday drives into gold dust for African markets.
Hot on its heels, at 20.1%, is the United Arab Emirates which might sound glamorous but there’s a reason why thieves are sending cars there. Last April’s devastating floods left dealerships swamped and the official waiting time for many replacement parts stretches to three months.
Consider that a container ship from London Gateway can be docked in Jebel Ali in just 25 days and criminals have an opportunity with premium stolen cars.
Next is Cyprus on 6.7% and since they drive on the left too, a UK-spec car slots right in. However, the island also serves as a stepping stone to Mediterranean hotspots, where parts get chopped up and shipped onward.
Then it’s Jamaica at 5.7% and again it shares a left-hand quirk, but new import tariffs have supercharged the trade. Smugglers dodge duties by sneaking vehicles in illegally, making the haul even sweeter for organised gangs.
Rounding out the top five is Georgia, with 5.1% and this is where geopolitics rears its head. Sanctions on Russia have scared off official car makers, leaving a vacuum for so-called grey imports. Neighbouring the conflict zone, demand for sturdy pickups has soared as locals brace for worse to create a ripple effect in demand.
What makes this so galling is that UK cars are the Fort Knox of the motoring world.
Thatcham has worked hard to convince manufacturers to fit top-tier security as standard, from immobilisers to GPS trackers.
Casual thefts, those impulsive grabs from the 1980s and 90s, are history. There aren’t teenagers hotwiring those hot hatches for a laugh, but we do get well-equipped thieves wanting to break modern car security technology. They use a range of devices from relay-hacking key fobs or clone signals with off-the-shelf gadgets.
That means it can take seconds to steal a car and once aboard a ship, good luck tracing them through lax customs.
So, what can we do? Firstly, start by checking your insurer’s Thatcham rating for your model. Anything below five stars on their security scale is a red flag.
We recommend using a Faraday pouch for your keys since this simple device blocks signals and stops relay attacks.
You may have noticed that steering wheel locks are making a comeback too, not just for nostalgia but because they slow thieves down enough for alarms to kick in.
Also, think beyond the basics. Visible etchings on windows and parts, marking them with your postcode or VIN, make reselling very difficult.
Thatcham is pushing for smarter tech, like safe remote disabling, where police could shut down a fleeing motor without risking a pile-up. They are also working on ways to ‘poison’ stolen components, rendering them useless without specialist tools.
But that is down the line; for now, parking in well-lit spots or garages with CCTV is your best bet.
Do not let global thieves turn your cherished vehicle into a distant memory. While basic locks and trackers help, they are no match for the tech-savvy gangs eyeing your pride and joy for export.
That is where a Ghost Immobiliser steps in, a stealthy upgrade that renders your car invisible to relay thieves and hackers, with no visible signs to tip off opportunists.
Installed by experts at Ghost Installations, it is the ultimate deterrent, blending seamlessly into your vehicle for peace of mind on every journey.
Call us today for a no-obligation chat about how we can save you from joining the £640 million car theft club.
Gareth Brooks is a vehicle security expert and Managing Director of Ghost Installations, specialising in advanced tracking systems and theft prevention solutions across the UK.
Some of our Frequently Asked Questions
Our head office is based in Halifax, however our engineers are based nationwide to cover all the UK.
It’s dependent on the vehicle, usually around 2 hours.
We have a dedicated aftercare team who can assist you, after verification we are able to support you to change the code.
It can be changed by you at any point and you can do this at any time and each day if you wish for maximum security
The device detects if your car has start / stop technology so you enter the code when you initially start the car and get into it and that’s it. If the car stops at traffic lights it automatically restarts as it normally would do before you had the ghost fitted.
Speak to one of our dedicated account managers to find the correct deal to support your install. We always have offers available.
When the car is being driven by others, you can enter service mode so your code is not compromised to the garage. The car stays in service mode until driven over 30 mph or if you take it out of service mode. (Please ask on the day of installation how this is done.)
The product is guaranteed for two years.
You can have it removed by us or leave it in the car as a sales feature to get more for your car with it fitted. Please note there will be an additional charge for this service.
We can remove and refit if required once your lease has ended. Please note there will be an additional charge for this service.
