Vehicle thefts at highest level in decade in Devon and Cornwall
Vehicle thefts in Devon and Cornwall have reached a ten-year high, with police attributing the surge to organized crime groups using advanced technology like key cloning. Recorded offenses rose significantly over the past year, mirroring broader trends across England and Wales.
Why it matters
The rise in tech-enabled vehicle theft poses a growing challenge for law enforcement and insurance sectors regarding modern security vulnerabilities.
Image source, Press Association Image caption, Organised crime gangs are behind the rise in vehicle thefts say police
Vehicle thefts in Devon and Cornwall have risen to their highest level in at least a decade, with police linking the increase to organised criminal gangs and increasingly sophisticated theft techniques.
Devon and Cornwall Police recorded 1,550 vehicle theft offences in 2025-26, up 60.8% from 964 in 2015-16 and up 11.4% from 1,392 in 2024-25, Home Office data shows.
Police said organised crime groups were responsible for a significant proportion of vehicle thefts, with offenders increasingly using technology such as electronic key cloning to steal vehicles.
Despite a recent drop, vehicle thefts are up almost 50% in England and Wales compared with a decade ago, according to the figures.
Image source, Abbie Brookes-Morris Image caption, Criminals use technology such as electronic key cloning to steal vehicles
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