Vehicle theft
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J. A. G.
Madrid
Wednesday, 2 April 2025
The makes and models of car most likely to be stolen in Spain, according to a survey carried out by insurance company Línea Directa, are the Seat Ibiza, Volkswagen Golf and the Seat León. 'Vehicle theft in Spain (2019-2023)', which the company published on Tuesday 1 April, highlights the versatility of these cars and their value for money. They are followed by the Ford Focus, the BMW 3 Series, the Renault Megane, the Opel Astra, the Volkswagen Polo, the Citroën Xsara and the Citroën C3.
As for mopeds, the Honda Scoopy, the SYM Symphony and the KYMCO Super Dink, urban scooters are valued "for their finish, good price and urban character", according to the insurer's analysis of the three Asian models. The Yamaha TMax and the Honda PCX complete the list of the five most stolen mopeds.
Despite the volume of vehicle thefts in Spain, 22% of cars, 37% of vans and 82% of motorbikes do not have insurance cover against theft, meaning the owners would not receive any compensation if their vehicle was stolen.
According to official data from Spain's Interior Ministry, between 2019 and 2023 there were more than 150,000 vehicle thefts in Spain, of which almost 70% remained unsolved. Although the increase in the number of cases is easing, the trend continues to rise: in 2024, more than 33,000 vehicles were stolen in Spain (+0.7%).
The most common theft takes place on Mondays in January of 11-year-old cars worth around 9,500 euros. Where parts are stolen rather than the whole car, the most common are rear-view mirrors, exhaust pipes, sound systems and the car keys.
The provinces where, proportionally, more car thefts have been reported in the last five years are Seville, Madrid and Tarragona. In the case of mopeds, the hot sports are the Balearic Islands, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Barcelona.
Línea Directa said that thieves no longer simply break a window to steal a car, but have the latest technologies to achieve their goals: from frequency inhibitors and coding and diagnosis machines to the use of devices that can be obtained on the Internet.
Experts believe that organised crime gangs are often behind the thefts who take the vehicle out of Spain or sell it for parts on the internet or criminals who steal them for fun or to commit other crimes and people who fake a theft in order to collect insurance compensation. In addition, Interpol notes that car thefts are sometimes used to finance organised crime including trafficking drugs, weapons and money, or terrorism.
These are the four basic tips Línea Directa gives:
1. Report any theft as soon as possible to the nearest police station and call your insurer, who should be sent a copy of the document. Also, if your purse or wallet has been stolen and you had your car keys in it, inform your insurance company as soon as possible.
2. Consider incorporating technology that is a deterrent to thieves, including geolocation apps on your smart devices and mobile phone in the event of theft. More traditional measures such as steering wheel locks or anti-theft bolts are still recommended.
3. Always make sure you have locked the car, as frequency jammers neutralise the locking of the vehicle.
4. If you have your own garage, use it. If you don't, avoid parking it in dark or secluded places. If you are going away or on holiday, arrange with someone you know to move the vehicle from time to time.
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