How the Range Rover became Britain’s ‘most stolen car’: Cost of footballers’ favourite vehicle plunges dramatically and owners are left struggling to get insurance after thefts soar 47 per cent in a year

• Average price of used Range Rover has dropped 9% since May to £35,224
• 47% jump in number of Range Rovers reported stolen between 2021 and 22 

Range Rovers are suffering large price drops as their owners struggle to get them insured after the model became Britain’s most stolen car, it has been revealed.

The average price of a used Range Rover – a car beloved by the wealthy and celebrities including Premier League footballers – has fallen 9 per cent since May to £35,224, compared to a decline of 3 per cent for all cars according to Auto Trader.

And the cost to insure one more than doubled to £3,270 in the year to October in a period that saw overall car insurance rise 57 per cent, according to Confused.com.

The average quote this year for a man aged 36 to 50 years old driving a newer Range Rover model was £5,186. One driver received a cheapest quote of £48,000 for a car worth £45,000 which was valued at £103,000 two years ago, reported Bloomberg.

It comes after data from the DVLA in May revealed the Range Rover Velar R-Dyn is the most sought out car by criminals, with two in every 100 of the model stolen.

Range Rovers are much loved by the wealthy and celebrities including footballers (file image)

Criminals usually go in pairs to steal keyless cars. One holds a transmitter and stands next to the vehicle while the other stands close to the house holding an amplifier

Land Rover is the most stolen brand, with 924 stolen per 100,000 in the 12 months to March 2023. It also made up six of the top ten most stolen car models overall.

How criminals steal cars by breaching keyless technology 

To target new – and often high-end – motors, thieves are using cheap technology that allows them to take cars without having to set foot into someone’s property to take the keys.

Keyless entry and keyless ignition means a driver only needs to have the car’s key on their body – in their pocket for instance – not only to unlock the doors but to start the engine.

Usually two thieves will work together when taking a car with keyless tech. One holds a transmitter and stands next to the car while the other stands close to the house holding an amplifier. The amplifier can boost the signal from the key inside the property and send it to the transmitter. 

The transmitter then becomes a ghost key and tricks the car into thinking the real key is nearby. This opens the car and allows it to be driven away without causing any damage.

Separate data from LeaseLoco in February showed there was a 47 per cent jump in the number of Range Rovers reported stolen to police between 2021 and 2022 – a rise from 3,754 to 5,533.

It comes amid the recent spike in keyless car crime which has seen this become the most common tactic used by organised criminals to steal high-value motors.

Range Rover owner Tim Coen, 34, said his current insurance provider told him it would not reinsure his Range Rover – and the cheapest quote online was £48,000.

The property investor from Leeds, whose previous Range Rover was stolen in London in 2020, told Bloomberg he paid £103,000 for his Sport SVR two years ago.

The car was worth £75,000 when he checked it online three months ago – but the same site now puts the value at £45,000. 

It means he cannot sell it because he would need to find an extra £25,000 to pay off the finance because of the valuation fall.

City banker Stephen Joseph, 44, said his Range Rover was stolen from his home in South East London in September 2021, and he chose to get a Volvo instead as a replacement.

He told Bloomberg: ‘I just thought there’s too many getting stolen. They’re too desirable.’

Nigel Pocklington, chief executive of energy supplier Good Energy Group, had his Range Rover stolen from outside his home in Clapham, South West London.

Police managed to find the car within ten minutes because it had a tracker, and it was returned to him – albeit with £3,000 worth of damage to the bumper and steering wheel lock.

Mr Pocklington, 52, told Bloomberg: ‘I’m fairly certain that I won’t be claiming the insurance for the damage, partly with an eye to making sure I get a renewal.’

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It comes after Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) confirmed it will spend £10million in the battle against keyless car thieves by retrofitting older models.

The company, which is owned by Indian giant Tata, said its latest security technology will create a virtual barrier that will block the recent spate of breaches of driverless system in its vehicles.

JLR said its latest anti-theft systems in its newest models manufactured from last year onwards are far less susceptible to breaches of its keyless technology.

The firm also said that since January last year, only 0.07 per cent of new Range Rover and Range Rover Sports on the road with the latest security setup have been stolen, while only 0.3 per cent of new Defenders had been affected since 2020.

A JLR spokesman told MailOnline today: ‘UK customers of luxury cars and other luxury goods are experiencing an increase in thefts due to organised criminal activity in the UK. 

‘The desirability of our luxury vehicles, coupled with concerns around thefts, has recently led to challenges around insurance for some clients. 

‘We are dedicated to addressing these challenges, with immediate measures including a significant additional investment in vehicle security and working closely with our insurance sector and wider partners to develop solutions, including bespoke UK insurance for JLR customers.

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‘Residual values in the UK market spiked in response to acute used car shortages caused by the pandemic and semiconductor crisis. 

‘They are now realigning across the board as expected. We are pleased that Range Rover resale values continue to ensure that our customers experience some of the lowest levels of depreciation.’

Meanwhile, JLR also announced today that its Range Rover clients ‘can now benefit from a new insurance solution for new and used vehicle purchases’.

It said that its insurance policies had been developed to ‘help alleviate recent challenges clients have faced when seeking insurance’.

JLR also said that since October, it had ‘so far provided more than 4,000 clients with a JLR insurance solution, with an average monthly premium of less than £200 ‘.

Speaking in relation to this announcement, Patrick McGillycuddy, JLR UK Managing Director, said: ‘While our new insurance proposition is a key milestone, we want to reassure clients that we will continue monitoring and refining our service so that even more clients can take advantage of it.’

Top security tips to protect your car from thieves using hi-tech tactics

1. Keep your key fob well away from your vehicle – and store it in a Faraday wallet

To best protect against keyless car theft, always place the keyfob as far away from the vehicle as you can and store it in a location that is not close to doors or windows in your property.

Even keeping them upstairs or in a room that’s the furthest distance from your driveway will not guarantee that a criminal using relay tactics won’t be able to infiltrate the signal.

For the best level of protection, owners of cars with keyless tech should purchase a Faraday pouch or wallet.

You can buy these online for as little as £5. They isolate the key fob’s signal so it can’t be replicated by thieves.

Metal tins and boxes will also provide similar protective levels, as will keeping your key fob in a fridge freezer, microwave or oven – just remember they are in there before turning on the latter two. 

Also, don’t forget about your spare keys and apply the same level of care you would to your main keys or fob.

2. Invest in extra anti-theft protection

A simple steering wheel lock or wheel clamp might look ugly but are a great tool to deter even the hardiest criminals with the most tech.

They will act as a visual deterrent for thieves who will likely avoid them.

For a criminal to remove a steering wheel lock typically requires the use of noisy drills or saws to cut through, and therefore they are the ideal first line of defence for owners with models that have keyless car tech.

Drivers should also consider wheel clamps as well as having alarm systems and trackers (read more about these below) installed. 

Owners of vans with keyless technology should also consider fitting deadbolts for additional protection, especially if they store expensive tools and items in their commercial vehicles overnight. 

3. Be mindful when locking the doors 

It may sound simple but always make sure your vehicle is locked every time you leave it – especially in busy car parks where thieves often use signal blockers.

Many drivers also don’t realise that on some vehicle models if you press your key fob only once your car will only be single locked.

This means that if you smashed the window you could manually open the car by reaching in and pulling the handle from the inside. 

To double lock, key fobs can require a second press of the locking button to engage the full security features. It is important to read your car’s manual when you first get it and familiarise how to securely lock your car when you’re not in it.

4. Think carefully about where you park overnight

Most often, keyless car thefts take place on owners’ driveways. While motorists might think having their vehicle in such close proximity to their property guarantees its security, this is certainly not the case when it comes to relay thefts – quite the contrary, in fact, as it means the car is closer to where they keys are inside your home.

That’s why owners with off-street parking should consider additional measures. 

Driveway parking posts are a cheap but efficient way of deterring would-be thieves. 

Drivers can also go one step further and install lockable gates in their driveway, while simple CCTV systems can provide further peace of mind. 

Luxury cars, which are at greater risk of theft, should be parked in a locked garage where possible.

For those without off-street parking who leave their cars on the road outside their home, you are also not safe from these criminals.

Consider parking further away from your property than usual – and try to find a space under a streetlight so that thieves are exposed when trying to steal your car at night.

If you live on a residential street where there are also business, park outside one with a CCTV camera installed. 

5. Install a tracking device in your car

Installing a tracker system in your vehicle, such as a Thatcham approved device, offers an extra layer of security. 

A tracking device won’t stop your vehicle being stolen, but it significantly increases the chances of the police recovering and returning it to you.

They cost from between £250 and £800 and the most secure use military-grade tech to locate the whereabouts of cars.

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