In Germany the Lexus NX, Toyota Land Cruiser and Lexus UX are stolen most
In Germany 14,162 cars with comprehensive insurance were stolen in 2024, almost 40 a day. The top three models are Lexus and Toyota, and these two makes have 4 models in the top 10.
| Model | Stolen per 10,000 insured cars |
|---|---|
| Lexus NX (1st generation) | 130 |
| Toyota Land Cruiser (4th generation) | 104 |
| Lexus UX (1st generation) | 99 |
| Jeep Grand Cherokee (4th generation) | 87 |
| Kia Stinger (1st generation) | 81 |
| Toyota RAV4 (5th generation) | 77 |
| Hyundai Santa Fe (4th generation) | 59 |
| Audi Q7 (2nd generation) | 53 |
| Alfa Romeo Stelvio (1st generation) | 52 |
| Kia Niro (2nd generation) | 48 |
How the list is counted depends on the country
- Germany and France: how many were stolen compared with how many such cars there are. That is why expensive SUVs are at the top, not the cars most common on the road.
- United Kingdom: how many cars were stolen. That is why the best-selling cars are at the top.
Why thieves pick Toyota and Lexus
Many of these models have a keyless key: the car unlocks and starts without taking the key out of your pocket. Thieves work in pairs. One gets as close to your key as possible, and the other stands by the car. Their devices relay the signal, so the car thinks the key is next to it. More about keyless theft
Almost every car that unlocks or starts without taking the key out is at risk. In a test of about 700 keyless cars, a signal relay device opened more than 90%. A key pouch and an immobiliser stop it. More about the immobiliser
On some Toyotas and Lexus models the thief does not even need the key signal. The thief removes part of the bumper and connects a device to the wiring of the front light. The device sends the car a false message that the key is there, so the car unlocks and starts. More about the headlight attack
The device for this theft was sold for the Toyota RAV4, Prius, Highlander, Land Cruiser and GR Supra and for the Lexus ES, LC, LS, NX and RX. Every newer car has a factory immobiliser, which checks the chip in the key before starting. It trusts the false message as if it were the real key.
In the Netherlands and France the Toyota RAV4 is first
In the Netherlands the Toyota RAV4 was the most stolen car in 2025 for the third year in a row. Behind it are the Kia Sportage, Fiat 500, Volkswagen Polo, Toyota C-HR and Volkswagen Golf 8. Toyota is also the make with the most stolen cars.
Thieves in the Netherlands more and more often pick newer and more expensive models, above all SUVs and hybrids.
In France the most stolen in 2025 were the Toyota RAV4, Hyundai Tucson and Toyota C-HR.
In the UK the Fiesta, Golf and Focus are stolen most
The most stolen in 2025 were the Ford Fiesta, Volkswagen Golf and Ford Focus, and among makes Ford, BMW and Toyota. These are best-selling cars, on average about 8 years old. This suggests thieves steal them for parts.
About 70,000 vehicles were stolen in England and Wales in one year, from April 2025 to March 2026.
Only about half of stolen cars are found
In the Netherlands a little over half of the stolen cars were found in 2025. In the UK fewer than half, and in France fewer than 4 in 10. In Belgrade too, only one stolen car in two is found.
In France a third of the recovered cars are found within a week, and two thirds within a month. After that the chances drop sharply, because stolen cars cross the border faster and faster.
That is why it matters to know at once where the car is. More about GPS tracking
In Serbia thieves pick particular models
Here thieves go for particular models: above all Golfs from the Mk2 to the Mk7 and other Volkswagen models, for their parts. More about the most stolen cars in Serbia
A model thieves look for in Germany or the Netherlands has the same weak points here: the same keyless key and the same OBD port.
How to protect a car thieves are after
Protection depends on how the thief works.
The thief relays the signal of your keyless keyA key pouch and an immobiliser. The pouch blocks the key signal. The immobiliser stops the engine from starting without your fob, even if the thief does catch the signal. More about the immobiliser
The thief connects to the wiring by the headlight of a Toyota or LexusAn immobiliser or an alarm that blocks starting. More about protecting a Toyota or Lexus
The thief makes a new key through the OBD portOBD port relocation. The thief finds the factory port, but it does not work without the small adapter you carry, so the thief cannot make a key through it. More about OBD port relocation
The car disappears anywayGPS tracking. You see on your phone where the car is.
An alarm that only sounds the siren does not stop a thief who connects to the headlight wiring.
