'Disgusting' car thefts ruin lives, say victims

Victims of car thefts in Essex have told the BBC it is a crime that "ruins people's lives".

Home Office data showed Essex recorded the fourth highest rate of car theft per head of population in England and Wales between 2025-26, although its figures fell by more than 16% in the last year.

One victim said it was a "disgusting" crime, with another describing how their car had been stolen despite putting their keys in a signal-blocking pouch to deter thieves.

Essex Police said tackling vehicle crime was "a priority" for the force.

The Home Office data, compiled by the BBC, shows car theft data across England and Wales from 2015 to 2026.

In Essex, there were 4,646 car thefts between 2025-26 - up from 3,327 a decade ago - but lower than the 10-year peak of 5,979 thefts in 2023-24.

Across England and Wales, the percentage of recorded car theft offences resulting in a charge or summons has dropped from 10% in 2015-16 to 3% in 2025-26.

Claire Cornell, a children support worker from Clacton-on-Sea, needed her Ford Kuga for work - but woke up on 2 September to find it had been stolen in the early hours.

"At first I thought maybe I'd mis-parked it somewhere," she said, adding she had kept her keys in a Faraday pouch which blocks their signal, but thieves had used other tactics to get into her car.

"I literally rang [Essex Police], and they were like, 'okay, we'll just log it'. And that was it - they weren't helpful at all," she said.

Essex Police said an officer had spoken "at length with [Claire] about the incident, her concerns and the impact the theft had had on her", and the force had updated her on the investigation and offered "safeguarding, reassurance and crime prevention advice", as well as reviewing relevant CCTV footage and making door-to-door enquiries.

Another victim, who did not wish to be named, said car theft was a "disgusting" crime.

The woman, who works as a professional cleaner in south Essex, said thieves stole her vehicle which contained all her cleaning materials.

She said she quickly bought another car as she needed it for work, only for her original vehicle to be found just days later.

"I lost about £1,000 [selling the replacement car], and then on top of that… my insurance went up by £60 a month, which is a lot," she said.

"It ruins people, you know?"

Other victims told how their security camera or doorbell had failed to record the thieves in action, as they had used a wifi blocker to kill the signal.

Nick Gover, from Thurrock, who runs car security firm Auto Communications, said thieves were constantly adapting their techniques.

"You'd see the thieves scanning the house for the car keys, so then people were putting their keys in the Faraday boxes, which still work if they try to steal the car that way," he said.

"[Now] they're also finding ways to plug into the car without actually accessing the inside of the car first."

Gover said as well as signal-blocking pouches, immobilisers and steering locks would slow thieves down, but advancements in car technology were helping thieves as well.

"Whatever makes things easier for the user makes it easier for the thieves," he said.

A spokesperson for Essex Police said: "We understand the impact having a vehicle stolen can have", adding that the force had a "coordinated, intelligence-led approach focused on preventing offences, recovering stolen vehicles, disrupting those responsible and bringing offenders to justice".

Essex Police said its crime figures, covering the 12 months to August 2026, "show vehicle theft fell by 9% across the county, with 470 fewer offences recorded than in the previous 12 months".

The spokesperson added that "when compared with the 12 months to August 2023, we have more than doubled the number of vehicle theft investigations solved".

"Anyone who discovers their vehicle has been stolen should report it to us as soon as possible. If a theft is happening right now or a crime is in progress, always call 999," they said.

Further theft prevention advice can be found on Essex Police's website.

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