The Ford Fiesta Is the UK's Most Stolen Car. The Methods Thieves Are Using Should Worry Every Driver.

The Ford Fiesta spent more than a decade as Britain's best selling new car. Ford pulled the plug on it in 2023. Thieves, however, have not lost interest. According to DVLA data obtained via a Freedom of Information request and analysed by WhatCar?, 3,511 Fiestas were stolen in 2025, making it the most targeted car on UK roads. That figure is more than double the second placed Volkswagen Golf, where 1,625 models were taken.

WhatCar? notes that the Fiesta's discontinuation has driven demand for used parts through the roof, giving thieves a commercial motive beyond simply selling the whole car on. A stolen Fiesta is worth more in pieces than it might be whole.

Ford dominates the list top to bottom. With the Fiesta first and Focus third, the brand accounts for 7,677 thefts across all models in 2025, more than 2,000 ahead of second placed BMW on 5,489. The assumption that luxury cars are the primary target turns out to be wrong. The Nissan Juke and Vauxhall Corsa both appear. Thieves follow volume.

"Annual car theft figures continue to be very high, so owners need to do all they can to keep their vehicles safe. Our data shows that small, inexpensive models such as the Nissan Juke and Vauxhall Corsa are under threat, so it is vital to take measures to protect all cars." Claire Evans, consumer editor, WhatCar?

The methods have changed dramatically. Smashed windows and hotwiring belong to another era. The dominant technique today is the relay attack. Two thieves, two devices. One stands near your front door to capture the fob signal from inside your home. The other stands next to the car. The devices amplify and relay the signal between them. The car reads it as the genuine key and unlocks. The entire operation takes under a minute and leaves no visible signs of forced entry. Your insurer will love that.

Beyond relay attacks, thieves are also exploiting OBD ports, the diagnostic sockets found under the dashboard of most modern cars. Connect a device, programme a blank key, drive away. Key fishing remains in use too: a long hook threaded through a letterbox to lift keys from a hallway table. The technology changes. Human laziness about where keys are left does not.

The relay kits are disturbingly easy to acquire. Andy Barrs, head of police liaison at vehicle tracking firm Tracker, has stated publicly that relay devices are available online for as little as £80, with most attacks targeting residential streets overnight.

The good news is that most of this is preventable without spending a fortune. A Faraday pouch, which costs between £10 and £20, blocks the key fob signal entirely. Store your keys in one away from doors and windows and relay attacks become impossible. A steering wheel lock adds a physical deterrent that no technology can bypass. For those wanting deeper protection, a ghost immobiliser requires a personalised code sequence to start the car, something a relay device cannot replicate. GPS trackers will not stop a theft but dramatically improve recovery rates.

One option many owners overlook: check whether keyless entry can simply be disabled on your model. Some manufacturers allow this through the fob settings. Switch it off and the relay threat disappears entirely.

Parliament has responded. The 2025 Crime and Policing Bill now criminalises possession of relay theft devices, carrying a sentence of up to five years. Whether enforcement keeps pace with the supply of £80 kits on the open internet remains an open question.

A steering wheel lock and a Faraday pouch cost less than a tank of fuel. The alternative costs considerably more.