The top five most stolen cars in Essex have been revealed as Essex Police reported more than 3,000 vehicle thefts last year.

The force reported 3,771 vehicle thefts in 2022, which was the fifth highest in UK.

Claims Management and Adjusting (CMA) has listed the top five most stolen cars in Essex last year, analysing Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) vehicle theft data for 2022, obtained via a Freedom of Information request.

The firm's analysis reveals Ford Fiesta and Land Rover's Range Rover models take the top five spots.

Top five most stolen cars in Essex

  1. Ford Fiesta Titanium 195
  2. Ford Fiesta Zetec 183
  3. Land Rover Range Rover Sport 135
  4. Ford Fiesta ST 94
  5. Land Rover Range Rover Evoque 76

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Philip Swift, a former detective and now managing director of CMA, commented: “According to the DVLA data, Essex Police recorded 3,771 vehicle thefts in 2022, the fifth highest total in the UK, behind only the Met (London), West Midlands, Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire.

"It is clear that Fiesta and Range Rover models are being targeted by organised criminal gangs, as are Ford Transits, although we restricted this analysis to cars.

"While not back to the ‘joyriding’ epidemic of the 1990s, well over three and a half thousand vehicles in a year is way too many, and recovery rates are lower than ever too."

Essex Police's specialist Stolen Vehicle Intelligence Unit (SVIU) recovered 626 stolen vehicles or parts of stolen vehicles last year – a 30 per cent increase on 2021.

This was a record number of stolen cars recovered and dedicated officers PC Paul Gerrish and PC Phil Pentelow frequently seize stolen cars within hours of them being taken, examine them, and use the intelligence they have gathered to hunt down other missing vehicles.