Gardaí blame almost 60% surge in car thefts on less secure imports

Car thefts and related offences are up almost 60 per cent since before the Covid-19 pandemic, an increase gardaí have blamed on increasing imports of cars which lack security features.

The most recent statistics show car thefts have increased much faster than other forms of theft in recent years. Overall, theft offences have decreased by almost 4 per cent since before the pandemic but vehicle thefts and unlawful interference with a vehicle have increased by 54.4 per cent.

Since 2022, when almost 4,000 vehicles were reported stolen, vehicle thefts have increased by just under 30 per cent. The previous year, thefts increased by 52 per cent.

Thieves are increasingly targeting cars parked outside homes, particularly second-hand cars with older or non-existent security systems. At the same time, modern cars with keyless entry systems are also being targeted by criminals who can hack locking systems.

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“Since Covid, we have seen a year-on-year increase in thefts, primarily of cars which lack security features,” said Sgt Mark Bolger of the Garda National Crime Prevention Unit

Since 1998 all cars manufactured for the EU market must be fitted with immobilisers which prevent the engine from activating unless the correct key is used. However, this rule does not apply to direct imports from countries outside the EU.

Increasingly, to save money, customers are importing cars directly from countries such as Japan which lack many of the security features standard on cars made for EU markets.

“They tend to lack immobilisers and alarm systems which are key security features,” said Sgt Boyle.

He said car thieves will also look for the point of least resistance. “If your car is lacking those features it makes the job of a thief a hell of a lot easier.”

Sgt Boyle urged people considering importing a car from outside the EU to consider the security features and “make a judgment”. If people still want to import a car, they should consider retrofitting an immobiliser to deter thieves.

A cheaper alternative is purchasing a steering wheel lock. “There’s very good ones now which go over the wheel and look like a clamp.”

As well as securing the car, these locks are very visible and serve as a deterrent for thieves, he said.

“If a thief is walking past your car, they will see the lock and think twice about breaking in as they’ll have to do that extra bit of work,” said Sgt Boyle.

In comparison to the cost of the vehicle, the cost of a steering wheel lock “is a no-brainer”, he added.

Regarding cars with keyless entry systems, gardaí recommend motorists keep their key fobs in a Faraday bag or biscuit tin while at home. This prevents the fob’s signal from being remotely copied by thieves and used to gain entry to the vehicle.