Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Area Second Worst in North for Vehicle Crime

The Newry, Mourne and Down District Council area is the second worst place for vehicle crime according to data obtained through a freedom of information request to the PSNI.

Outside Belfast this Council area was the second hardest hit region with 297 vehicle thefts while Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council came a close third at 296 incidents.

At the other end of the scale, Ards and North Down ranks as the safest area to own a vehicle, with 136 stolen over the three-year-period, followed by Fermanagh and Omagh (149) Mid and East Antrim (152).

When it comes to items being stolen from vehicles, Newry, Mourne and Down District Council was also the worst region outside Belfast, with 288 offences reported. That figure is three times higher than in Causeway Coast and Glens, which recorded the lowest number of thefts from vehicle offences at 96.

The data gathered by motoring experts CompareNI.com shows there have been 3,110 vehicle thefts across the country over the last three years with a further 2,815 incidents of items being stolen from vehicles.

When measured against other UK regions Northern Ireland has a comparatively low rate of vehicle thefts per population, equating to 161 offences per 100,000 people. In contrast, the West Midlands has the highest rate of offences with 42,863 vehicles taken, which is 1,451 thefts per 100,000 people.

Ian Wilson, car insurance expert and Managing Director at CompareNI.com urged motorists to take action to help reduce the chances of vehicle crime.

He said: “Having your car or van broken into or stolen is not just distressing and inconvenient, it can have lasting financial repercussions, including higher insurance premiums, loss of your no-claims discount and the cost of replacing any personal belongings that may not be covered by insurance."

He added “If you are living in areas with higher rates of vehicle crime, you may find yourself paying more for insurance, due to the increased risk of theft or break-ins. While there isn’t much you can do about your location, there are some precautions you can take to make your vehicle less of a target to would-be thieves and help reduce the cost of your insurance.”

Tips to help prevent vehicle crime

• Park somewhere safe: Parking in a garage or on a private driveway may be enough to deter opportunistic criminals and could help lower insurance premiums, as providers can factor in the lower risk. In fact, data suggests drivers can save over £140 on average each year by parking on a driveway compared to a public road.*
• Beware keyless theft: Tech-savvy criminals can use specialist equipment to hack open and start a vehicle if the key fob is nearby. To prevent these relay attacks at home, make sure the fob is not stored near any doors or windows, making it harder for thieves to capture its signal. For added peace of mind, consider storing the fob in a signal-blocking security pouch.**
• Consider extra security: Upgrading a factory-fitted immobiliser to an advanced or ‘ghost’ immobiliser can protect vehicles against the most sophisticated theft techniques, including key cloning, hacking or relay attacks.***
• Visual deterrents:  Steering wheel locks and wheel clamps are a simple and affordable way to make vehicles less appealing targets to opportunistic thieves, who rely on a quick getaway.
• Keep valuables out of sight: While it may seem obvious, one of the easiest ways to prevent vehicle crime is to remove the temptation for criminals. Don’t leave any belongings on display – even a shopping bag on the back seat or loose change in the cup holder could be enough to pique a thief’s interest.

CompareNI.com helps hundreds of thousands of drivers every year find savings on car insurance, as well as niche items such as taxi, van and 4x4 insurance.