Europe and the UK

News items from Europe and the UK

What Makes Tesla Vehicles So Hard To Steal?

There are obvious answers to the above questions, as well as those that aren't so obvious. Thieves are having a hard time stealing vehicles made by Tesla. According to the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI), Tesla's 2016-2018 Model S and Model X was among the least stolen vehicles, only beaten by the BMW 3 series. The institute claims this is due to electric cars typically being stored in garages where they're…

New UK Plant Theft Police Taskforce

The Construction Equipment Association (CEA) has said that it is looking forward to the creation of a new national police resource, to combat construction equipment theft in the UK. The CEA said the formation of a new police resource would complement the work of the Combined Industries Theft Solutions group (CITS) and the CESAR Network – the official industry plant marking and registration scheme designed to combat equipment…

Quads and horse boxes top thieves’ list as rural crime hits £2.8m in Northern Ireland

RURAL crime cost Northern Ireland £2.8 million last year, a rise of 3.9 per cent on 2017, according to insurer NFU Mutual. It says quads, livestock, trailers and horse boxes have topped thieves' wish list across the north. And in the UK as a whole, rural crime cost £50 million, an increase of 12 per cent on the previous year and the highest overall cost in seven years. Martin Malone, a NFU Mutual regional manager in Northern…

Auto theft in the age of cybersecurity

In the days of “American Graffiti,” thieves could steal a car by using a Slim Jim to open the door, then touching the ignition wires together. With the move to electronic key fobs and computers, theft dropped dramatically. But the thieves have caught up – and with keyless ignitions it’s a simple matter for a tech-savvy thief to block the door lock signal or hack a vehicle's key fob. This new technology is dangerous…

Number of motor vehicle theft offences recorded in England and Wales from 2002/03 to 2018/19 (in 1,000s)

There were over 114 thousand motor vehicle thefts in England and Wales in 2018/19 and increase of over 8 thousand offences when compared with the previous year and an nine year high for this type of crime. Despite the recent increases, there were still fewer vehicle thefts than there were in 2002/03 when there were almost 307 thousand. This was followed by a steep ten-year decline which saw vehicle thefts reduced to just 70 thousand in…

Operation Benelli Is Now Stopping Northern UK Bike Thieves

Op Benelli isn't a band, but they're still making thieves dance to their tune. By now, you’ve probably heard that motorcycle theft is a major problem for our friends across the pond, all over the UK. One thing that has frustrated riders up and down the land is that police response hasn’t been as proactive as they would like. Opinions as to why are many, but facts are few. Now, one police force is stepping up to do something…

How Much Does Your Car Know About You? [Infographic]

Today’s vehicles can do just about anything — aside from driving themselves (yet). They can parallel park, monitor your blind spots, make phone calls, send text messages, and even give you massages. All of this additional automation means your car collects data on pretty much everything. Cars soak up information on who you are, where you’ve been, your driving habits, and much more. Automakers claim to use this data for…

What Map Apps Track (and How to Get Them to Stop)

Consulting a handheld map or pulling into the gas station to ask for directions seem like road trip activities of the distant past, and most of us are grateful for the advances in technology that allow us to drive to a new location without worry. Top-rated map apps offer features such as live traffic updates and route creators — even accommodating multiple stops — and can help you plan the ultimate road trip with little stress. With…