Global Telemetrics are proud to announce that since inception in 2006 we have now recovered over £180m worth of vehicles for our customers with £26.6m for 2024 alone. 

In a year where vehicle thefts continue to rise, Global Telemetrics is leading the fight back, reducing thefts by 15% through innovative security solutions like our ‘No Tag, No Start’ system and new intelligent theft detection software. 

Why the drop?

One key factor driving this improvement is the growing adoption of our ‘No Tag, No Start’ immobilisation devices. These innovative systems have proven highly effective, with numerous instances of thieves gaining access to vehicles but being unable to start or drive them away and ultimately forcing them to abandon their attempts.

The success of these devices is having a nationwide impact, with several major insurance companies now recognising their value and including them as standard requirements for certain policies. 

See our ‘No Tag, No Start’ device in action

In addition to the success of our ‘No Tag, No Start’ devices, we’ve made significant advancements this year in our anti-jamming technologies and introduced new intelligent detection software. These enhancements improve the speed at which our system identifies when a vehicle has been stolen.

Time is the most important factor when a vehicle is stolen, faster detection allows us to contact our customers sooner and dispatch our Repatriations Team to recover stolen vehicles more rapidly. Our unique theft detection software has been crucial in aiding police to dismantle several major chop shop operations throughout the year.

2024 Recovery highlights

This year has been remarkable for vehicle recoveries, showcasing the effectiveness of our advanced security solutions.

Once again, Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has retained the top spot for stolen vehicles, marking the 11th consecutive year it has led in Global Telemetrics’ monitored vehicles stolen and recovered. However, there has been a notable shift in the most targeted model. Since 2016, the Range Rover Sport consistently held the title of our most recovered vehicle. This year, however, the Range Rover Vogue reclaimed the top spot for the first time since 2015.

It’s worth noting that JLR’s recent security updates have led to a significant reduction in thefts of newer Land Rover models, highlighting the positive impact of enhanced security measures.

New entrants and trends

Making their debut in our Top 10 this year is Toyota, largely due to a surge in thefts during the second half of the year. The Toyota Hilux proved especially popular with thieves, becoming our 4th most recovered vehicle in 2024.

Motorhomes have remained a consistent presence in our Top 10 over the years. This year, Fiat Ducato-based motorhomes stood out, ranking as our 3rd most recovered vehicle overall. We also successfully recovered numerous motorhomes built on Ford, Peugeot, and Volkswagen chassis throughout the year.

Top 5 recovered vehicle models of 2024

How were vehicles stolen in 2024? 

Once again, thefts in 2024 were dominated by a single method: keyless theft, commonly known as relay theft.

This method involves thieves using a relay device to capture and amplify the signal from a car key, often located inside a victim’s home, transmitting it to the vehicle. The car is tricked into thinking the key is nearby, allowing it to unlock, start, and be driven away without any physical contact with the key.

Keyless theft accounted for 75.5% of all recoveries in 2024, confirming it as the most prevalent method used by criminals.

Following this, burglaries and carjackings were the second and third most common methods of vehicle theft throughout the year.

Where were vehicles being stolen in 2024? 

London and the West Midlands once again topped the list as the most high-risk areas for vehicle theft. London accounted for 32% of all recoveries this year, with the West Midlands contributing 20%. Within London, Kensington and Chelsea emerged as the borough most affected by vehicle theft.

Top 5 vehicle theft hotspots in 2024

The majority of vehicle thefts continued to occur at home addresses, representing a significant 80% of all stolen and recovered vehicles. Public car parks were the second most common location at 7%, followed by workplaces at 5%.

Quickest recovery in 2024

Once again, our dedicated Auto-Crime Investigations Repatriations Team, working alongside police forces, proved invaluable in the fight against vehicle theft.

Matching the record set in 2023, the team successfully recovered a customer’s stolen Lexus RX450h in just 6 minutes after it was taken from their home during the middle of the afternoon.

The Repatriations Team’s relentless hard work has not only led to swift recoveries but also assisted police in shutting down numerous chop shops, thanks to the effectiveness of our monitored tracking devices.

What to watch for in 2025

In our 2023 end-of-year review, we highlighted Jaguar Land Rover’s security updates aimed at combating relay theft. The results speak for themselves, new Land Rover models rarely featured on our stolen vehicle lists in 2024.

As we head into 2025, it will be interesting to see if other manufacturers follow JLR’s lead in enhancing vehicle security.

At Global Telemetrics, we will continue to document our recoveries, industry news, and major events throughout the year. We’re excited to be attending and sponsoring some of the UK’s biggest car events, as well as collaborating on exciting projects with key players in the automotive industry.

We remain committed to promoting the benefits of our ‘No Tag, No Start’ devices and Driver Detection Cards, and you’ll see even more of our Repatriations Team in action in exclusive features later this year.