Used car part thefts rife, insurance data shows

Airbags, steering wheels and catalytic converters among most commonly stolen parts

thief
Image: Bigstock.

Drivers are being warned of a rising trend of thieves targeting car owners for their car parts, data from LV General Insurance has found.

The most common targets for thieves include airbags, steering wheels and catalytic converters.

Since 2017, thefts of steering wheels have risen by 133 per cent, with demand for airbags, gear sticks and any dashboard components also doubling.

The average claims cost for theft of a steering wheel and airbag is around £7,000, with the most expensive claim reaching £41,000 due to a write off of the vehicle because the entire dashboard was stolen.

Related: TPMS warning light “too often ignored”, TyreSafe warns

LV General Insurance suggest thieves are selling the stolen parts to garages.

Alex Hammond-Chambers-Borgnis, Interim Underwriting Director at LV General Insurance said: “We’re certainly seeing an increase in car-related thefts and any spare parts opportunistic thieves can get their hands on to make some extra cash.

“This is also being fuelled by the fact car parts are currently in very high demand as a result of global supply chain disruption, which is adding to the problem.

Related: Garages need support beyond Energy Bill Relief Scheme, says IGA

“With second hand cars also sky rocketing, we’re seeing all types of vehicles being stolen, and keyless cars in particular remain a problem.

“The technology of keyless cars continues to improve as more cars are produced, but unfortunately it doesn’t take long for thieves to work out a way to steal them and advance their own tactics.”

Catalytic converter thefts have been on the rise for a number of years, accounting for around 10 per cent of car insurance thefts since 2016.

Last year catalytic converter theft accounted for 20 per cent of all car insurance theft claims and remained a substantial problem in the first half of 2022.

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