Thread: Defender now No 1 stolen vehicle in UK!

Know this is UK however my neighbour had to have steel lift out posts that are padlocked in with concrete bases installed into front yard and use them with the Defender parked behind them to obtain insurance cover. We are not in a high thieft area.

Interesting that at number 10 on the UK chart is the Renault Laguna. A vehicle which makes the Defender appear reliable and well put together. Think this is people frustrated with the dealer network / manufacturer turning on other owners in an attempt to keep their cars on the road.



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This story shows up the pitfalls with taking data from one country to another!

In the UK, the Defender is common, easy to steal, and there is a ready market both for the vehicle and as parts, because of this. Also, most thieves would be familiar with how easy it is to steal, and familiar with driving it.

In Australia, it is uncommon, so it is conspicuous, and not seen as desirable, a restricted market, both for the vehicle and for parts. Few would be thieves are familiar with either how to steal it or how to drive it. And there is no nearby market in a different jurisdiction as there is in the UK! (Australian States now talk to each other about car thefts a lot more than they used to.)

Once no longer produced, it may move up the list, but I doubt it will be very far - the market will still be very restricted, and it will still be conspicuous, even if they become more desirable.


Worth noting that the statistics quoted are for "profit motivated theft targets" - I wonder how the overall figures differ when cars used for ram raids, joyriding, and getaway cars etc are included. Certainly, in this area, I think the majority of thefts would be for joyriding/getaway.

John

Originally Posted by JDNSW

This story shows up the pitfalls with taking data from one country to another!

In the UK, the Defender is common, easy to steal, and there is a ready market both for the vehicle and as parts, because of this. Also, most thieves would be familiar with how easy it is to steal, and familiar with driving it.

In Australia, it is uncommon, so it is conspicuous, and not seen as desirable, a restricted market, both for the vehicle and for parts. Few would be thieves are familiar with either how to steal it or how to drive it. And there is no nearby market in a different jurisdiction as there is in the UK! (Australian States now talk to each other about car thefts a lot more than they used to.)

Once no longer produced, it may move up the list, but I doubt it will be very far - the market will still be very restricted, and it will still be conspicuous, even if they become more desirable.

Out here if you wanted transport, you'd still anything old enough not to have factory imoblisers ...eg: old falcons/commonbores.
Worth noting that the statistics quoted are for "profit motivated theft targets" - I wonder how the overall figures differ when cars used for ram raids, joyriding, and getaway cars etc are included. Certainly, in this area, I think the majority of thefts would be for joyriding/getaway.

John

I'd go further ... In Australia I reckon you could leave it in a council housing estate with the keys in the ignition .............. And just simply putting the transfer case into neutral would mean the locals couldn't figure out how get it moving to steal it, especially if was also a manual.

seeya,
Shane L.

Originally Posted by DoubleChevron

I'd go further ... In Australia I reckon you could leave it in a council housing estate with the keys in the ignition .............. And just simply putting the transfer case into neutral would mean the locals couldn't figure out how get it moving to steal it, especially if was also a manual.

seeya,
Shane L.

I actually know this has happened to some LR Owners themselves, and on a number of occasions, Kids etc have moved the TC into Neutral, you have no idea how many 4x4 Owners don't even know there is a N between the L & H

Doesn't quite work for the more modern ones, where you just have to push a button
As has been demonstrated, even on here a few times, the defender ain't exactly a difficult vehicle to break into.
Neither are land cruisers, mate of mine broke into his after he locked himself out, only needed a screwdriver.