Robberies add to rise in car thefts

A recent surge in vehicle theft acts as a timely reminder to motorists that car insurance is more important than ever.

Keys stolen during house burglaries have led to a 19% annual increase in car thefts, according to latest Government figures.

In the year 2008-09, over 19,400 vehicles were stolen using keys from burgled homes in England and Wales.

An average of 53 householders a day find their car has been taken following a house burglary.

A further 2,700 car keys were stolen in 2008/09 - a slight fall compared with 2007/08.

The AA reports recent claims include:

Keys stolen while the owners were asleep at night or while they have been in the garden or have "popped out for five minutes";
Keys left in front door locks or keys "fished" through the letterbox or through open window fanlights;
Homes comprehensively burgled and the family car used as a getaway vehicle;
Three cars stolen out of a locked garage following burglary of all the family's keys, while they were on holiday;
Keys stolen from workplaces, gym lockers and changing rooms and keys quietly picked out of unwatched bags or pockets;
Smaller numbers stolen by way of threats, muggings or car-jackings.

The latest figures show that London is again the car key theft capital, followed by Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire, Merseyside and the Thames Valley.

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