Theft from Motor Vehicles – Identifying Potential Offenders

  A good practice guide

This guide, which was prepared by an independent social research company, Evidence Led Solutions, examines ways of addressing thefts from vehicles (TFMV) by focusing on the offender. This should be viewed in the wider context of problem solving in which the solution to this particular problem may take into account the targets of theft (the vehicles and their contents), the locations in which vehicles are parked, and the potential victims of theft, as well as the offender. The location / victim / offender approach is often known as the Problem Analysis Triangle.

Title: Theft from Motor Vehicles – Identifying Potential Offenders
Author: National Audit Office in partnership with The Home Office
Number of pages: 20
Date published: December 2007
Availability: Download full report PDF 277Kb

This paper focuses on the offender because it is the least understood side of the problem analysis triangle for tackling thefts from motor vehicles (TFMV).

The key to minimising the risk of people becoming offenders is to understand the nature of the offenders and to develop interventions that help to influence the likelihood of those people becoming involved in this type of crime.

The guide is divided into seven main sections:

1. The nature and extent of thefts from motor vehicles
2. The characteristics of theft from motor vehicle offenders
3. Identifying ways to target offenders
4. Preventing individuals from starting TFMV
5. Preventing offenders from continuing to commit TFMV
6. Combining interventions
7. Possible interventions

According to the British Crime Survey (BCS), there were 1.1 million thefts from motor vehicles based on interviews in the year to March 2006, representing 10% of all BCS crime. It is estimated that only 45% of these were reported to the police. In recent years, there has been a steady decline in thefts from motor vehicles, with a 9% reduction since 1997.

The 2005 /06 BCS showed that those living in private rented accommodation, living in a flat or terraced house, in an area of high perceived physical disorder, those without children and where someone aged 16-34 headed the household were at the highest risk of being a victim of theft from a motor vehicle.

Thefts from motor vehicles in England and Wales were estimated to have cost over £943 million in 2005 /06.

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Download Theft from Motor Vehicles – Identifying Potential Offenders PDF 277Kb

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