When you think of car theft, you probably think of entire cars being stolen, but a growing trend in vehicle crime involves the theft of specific car parts. As many as one in five drivers have experienced car part theft that has cost them over £1,200 to replace, but which car parts are in highest demand for thieves?
This blog will run through eight of the most commonly stolen car parts in the UK and what steps you can take to help prevent your car parts being stolen.
1. Wing Mirrors
Wing mirrors top the list as the most frequently stolen car part, with over 1.4 million UK drivers reporting that they have had one stolen at some point. Although they may seem like simple tools, wing mirrors on modern cars contain valuable sensory equipment that can be sold on to make a fair amount of money, making them a big target for thieves.
To protect your car from wing mirror theft, it is recommended that if possible, you fold in your wing mirrors and lock them into place when parking so that it is harder for thieves to remove them. You can also purchase high strength acrylic tape that you can use to tape down the backing plate of your mirror for extra security.
2. Number Plates
Number plates are another common victim of car theft as stolen plates can be used for a number of different illegal activities. For example, thieves can use stolen number plates to put on unregistered cars, drive illegally, street race or steal petrol. In fact, every year 27,000 number plates are stolen from vehicles by thieves for possible illegal activity.
To protect your number plate from theft, replace your license plate’s regular screws with security screws. This should deter criminals from trying to remove your plates. If someone does pinch your number plates, be sure to report it to the police and the DVLA – it’s possible that the thieves will stick your plates on a different car, and you don’t want to be held responsible for any crimes they might commit.
3. Tyres and Wheels
13% of drivers reported having their tyres or wheels stolen at some point. Wheels are easy to steal as with the correct tools, a thief can removed your vehicle’s tyres and wheels within a matter of minutes. The added factor of these parts being hard to track and easy to sell makes your vehicle’s tyres and wheels a great target for thieves.
To protect your tyres, try turn your wheels at a 45 degree angle when parking and park close to the kerb. This should make it harder for thieves to gain access and remove your wheels.
4. The Car Emblem
Coming in close at the fourth most popular stolen car part, 12% of drivers surveyed by Compare the Market reported having their car emblem stolen at some point. Stealing car emblems was popularised by the music video for The Beastie Boys’ 1986 hit (You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party), where band member Mike D had a VW badge hanging around his neck. This prompted fans all over the world to imitate the look and steal their own VW badges, so much so that a VW representative confirmed that in the first weeks of June 1987, as many as 250 car owners a day were getting replacement badges!
To avoid car emblem theft, park your car’s front section as close to a wall as possible so that there is no access to the bonnet or badge. This may not completely deter thieves but should make their job that bit harder.
5. Catalytic Convertor
Catalytic convertors are another valuable stolen car part that many thieves are eager to get their hands on. Made from a combination of several metals (platinum, palladium and rhodium) in the platinum group known to be worth more than gold, catalytic convertors can be sold to metal recyclers for a good lump sum. An experienced thief can also remove a catalytic convertor from your car in under a minute.
To deter thieves, it is recommended that you etch your VIN number or name on the convertor so that if it is stolen it is not only worth less, but can also be traced back to you – saving you up to £1,000 on a replacement part!
6. Battery
Car batteries are expensive and have a high resale value on the underground market, particularly the batteries from hybrid or electric vehicles. If you’ve ever had the task of replacing your own car battery, you know that removing it doesn’t take long when you have the right tools.
To deter thieves from stealing your car battery, you can buy alarm systems that you place under the hood of your car so that when somebody tries to open it to get to your battery, the blaring alarm should scare them away. You can also install hood locks and battery locks for extra security.
7. Airbags
Another easy car part for thieves to steal is your airbags. Airbags are compact, portable and can be stolen in a matter of minutes. Thieves will sell stolen airbags to collision repair shops where dishonest repairmen will charge vehicle owners the full price for the replacement, committing insurance fraud. The USA’s National Insurance Crime Bureau has reported that around 50,000 airbags are stolen a year in America, and the UK is not far behind.
Parking in safe places and using a steering wheel lock are two ways that you can help protect your vehicle from airbag left.
8. Registration
A lesser known but possibly the most dangerous item a thief can steal from your car is your vehicle registration. By taking your car’s registration documents, thieves will then be in possession of all sorts of your personal information. They can then use this information to register stolen vehicles or even get a duplicate car key made – scary stuff!
To avoid this happening to you, don’t leave your car’s registration documents in your glovebox or around your car. Instead, keep the documents at home or on your phone for easy access.
If you have been a victim of car part theft, or just need a replacement part for your car, contact A&L Vehicle Recycling today—we’ve got loads of spare car parts available at very reasonable prices.
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