72 per cent of car thefts in Hertfordshire are unresolved

The figures, taken from Home Office crime statistics, shows just 3 per cent of reported car thefts in the Hertfordshire area resulted in a suspect being charged or summonsed. 

Since the beginning of 2020 there have been 7,639 recorded car thefts across Herts. Of those, 5,517 remain unsolved.

This come just days after police confirmed they were investigating a recent spate of car thefts in the St Albans area.

A spokesperson for Hertfordshire Police said: “Vehicle theft has become increasingly difficult to prevent over recent years, with the development of keyless vehicles, criminals have been able to exploit this technology making it difficult to keep vehicles secure.

"Criminal gangs have taken advantage of this and are able to steal large numbers of high value cars, which are quickly moved and given new identification plates.

"The vehicles often end up overseas or stripped down for parts whose value have increased over recent years.

“Using signal jacking devices criminals can pick up the fob signal and unlock and start a vehicle in seconds, meaning they can escape the scene before police or even the vehicle owners have a chance to respond.

"Vehicles are often stolen from driveways overnight and the owner doesn’t even realise until the following day.

“We have been running awareness campaigns, such as Operation Remote, aimed at helping drivers to keep their vehicles safe by providing crime prevention advice.

"We have also had a number of successes in arresting and convicting offenders for vehicle thefts, however as many of the vehicles stolen are quickly moved on from the areas they are stolen in and shipped overseas, it means that if offenders are not caught in the act it can be hard to catch them with evidence to make a conviction.”

Police have issued advice to residents concerned about the safety of their cars.

This can be accessed by visiting https://www.herts.police.uk/cp/crime-prevention/keeping-vehicles-safe/preventing-car-vehicle-theft.