Vehicle Related Crime Down

Vehicle-related crime across Greater Manchester has seen a reduction of 27 per cent according to the latest figures.

During September 2023 and March 2024 – police saw 4,275 theft of motor vehicle crimes, 7,136 thefts from a motor vehicle and 1,631 crimes relating to vehicle interference. 

In comparison, during the same period between September 2024 and March 2025, officers saw 1,093 fewer theft of motor vehicle crimes - a 26 per cent decrease - there have been 1,984 fewer thefts from a motor vehicle - a 28 per cent decrease - and 405 fewer crimes relating to vehicle interference - a 28 per cent decrease. 

These reductions are down to a strategic and sustained effort to combat vehicle crime through multiple approaches.  

Police have implemented targeted operations in known hotspot areas, increased both visible and covert patrols during peak offending times, and listened to community concerns. 

Alongside this, they have collaborated with local authorities, community safety partnerships, and neighbourhood watch schemes.  

These partnerships and many more have enabled a coordinated approach to prevention, detection, and enforcement. 

Officers have recovered stolen vehicles and property worth more than £1million and returned them to their rightful owners.  

Officers from the city centre team have recently been commended for their work in preventing vehicle crime in car parks in the area. 

Patrols were increased around these car parks, with leaflets being left on vehicles and handed to owners to raise awareness. 

Advice was also given to the car park managers, with suggestions for how to improve security, essentially making these areas less accessible or attractive to offenders. 

Despite often being perceived as a ‘low-level’ crime, vehicle theft is frequently linked to serious and organised groups who operate across Greater Manchester and beyond. 

These criminal groups use stolen vehicles to commit further offences, such as drug-related crimes and serious violence.  

Stolen vehicles can be used as getaway cars or dismantled in chop shops for parts which can be shipped internationally and sold for significant amounts of money. 

Superintendent Danny O’Neil, who is the lead for vehicle crime at GMP, said: “Across the force we have worked tremendously hard to identify areas of concern, target them and make significant changes. 

“It is pleasing to see the figures decreasing to nearly 30 per cent across all three main focus points related to vehicle crime, with our presence and investigations into these cases preventing potential further incidents of this nature.  

“We recognise the substantial impact vehicle crime has on victims, not just on a financial level but on a personal level. 

“For many of those who are victims of vehicle crime, it can often have knock-on effects in their life, whether that be their inability to travel to work, transport children to school, or attend medical appointments. 

“Items that have been stolen from vehicles may hold irreplaceable sentimental value or represent a financial loss that insurance cannot fully cover. 

“I would like to urge vehicle owners to continue to take precautions, including removing valuables from vehicles, using steering locks for keyless entry cars, parking in well-lit areas when possible, and considering additional security measures such as tracking devices and faraday pouches for electronic keys.” 

Anyone with any information about vehicle crime is encouraged to report it to the police by calling 101 or using the ‘Live Chat’ function on their website at gmp.police.uk.  

Information can also be shared anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.