New research from Direct Line Motor Insurance has revealed that 1,156 people under the age of 18 have been charged with vehicle theft in the past three years, the equivalent of more than one per day.

The statistics also reveal that children as young as 12 have been charged with the crime.

More than half (53%) of under-18s charged with vehicle theft in the past three years were aged between 15 and 16. However, 10% of those charges were aged between 13 and 14. Seven children aged between 11-12 were also charged during this period.

South Yorkshire Police revealed children as young as 10 have been arrested for car theft in each of the past three years.

Lorraine Price, head of motor insurance at Direct Line, said: "More than one car theft each day is committed by a child or teenager, which is a sad reflection of our society.

“That children as young as 12 are being charged with vehicle theft is truly shocking. Children should be focussing on school and having fun, they should be protected from older family members or associates seeking to lead them into a life of crime.

“Having your car stolen can be incredibly distressing and cause significant inconvenience for the victim. While car owners shouldn’t have to take additional precautions to protect their vehicles, they can reduce the risk of being targeted.” 

The figures show that 514 under-18s were charged with vehicle theft in 2019. The number of young people charged fell to 356 in 2020 and 286 in 2021 when pandemic travel restrictions were in force.

However, there are concerns the number of under-18s charged with vehicle theft could increase again now that restrictions have ended.

The research is based on insight from Direct Line’s ‘Truth about Car Theft’ campaign with the University of Huddersfield.

The study, based on detailed academic interviews of convicted car thieves, reveals car theft can be a gateway crime to more serious offences.

Direct Line's advice on how to reduce car theft

• Trackers: Using a tracker within your car can play a big part in getting your car retrieved
• Alarms: Use of a motion-sensor alarm in your drive, particularly using a recorded voice, can deter a car thief from entering your car
• Cleanliness: Having a tidy car also helps, as a car thief will see a messy car and typically think there is something of value underneath the debris
• Bollards and CCTV: Consider installing a parking post or bollard to block in your vehicle on the drive and CCTV cameras to help deter thieves
• Keys: Don’t leave them visible, use a faraday pouch to store keys at home to help prevent against relay theft
• Entry/exit noise: For example, having a gravel driveway – noise is a deterrent for car thieves
• Deterrents: A car behind a gate, lights, or even a dog are big deterrent for car thieves