London is facing a serious car crime epidemic, with nearly 90% of vehicle thefts going unsolved by the Metropolitan Police. New data reveals the capital has the worst record for solving car thefts in the UK, prompting calls for a dedicated national task force to tackle the growing problem.

Shocking Statistics Reveal the Scale of Vehicle Crime

According to research commissioned by the Liberal Democrats and sourced from the House of Commons library, 88.5% of reported car thefts in London remain unsolved. This places the Metropolitan Police at the bottom of the country’s rankings for tackling vehicle crime.

In total, across England and Wales, police forces recorded 121,825 motor vehicle thefts, of which 92,958 cases were closed without a suspect. Among 44 forces, 35 reported an unsolved rate of 60% or higher, with the national average standing at 76.3% of car theft investigations failing to identify a suspect.

The City of London Police, covering the smaller Square Mile, reported 81.5% of vehicle crimes unsolved, highlighting that car theft is not just a problem for the broader capital but also for central London.

What the Metropolitan Police Are Doing

The Met Police acknowledged the “significant impact” of vehicle thefts on victims and communities. Despite the alarming statistics, the force claims to have achieved a 14.7% reduction in recorded vehicle crimes across London from April to December 2025, compared to the same period in 2024.

A spokesperson noted that car crime in the capital had been reduced from 71,929 incidents to 61,362, signaling some progress. However, with the unsolved rate still so high, critics argue that more urgent and coordinated action is required.

Calls for a National Car Crime Task Force

Lib Dem home affairs spokesman Max Wilkinson MP criticized the previous Conservative government for years of “self-defeating cuts to police forces” and warned that the current Labour government must not ignore this epidemic.

Wilkinson and his party have called for the creation of a specialist national team, based at the National Crime Agency, which could:

• Pool data from automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras
• Access insurance records
• Use intelligence from police forces and border control

This task force would focus on targeting organised car theft networks, which are often responsible for large-scale vehicle theft operations.

Government Response and Preventive Measures

A Home Office spokesperson admitted that “not enough has been done to prevent these crimes or to bring those responsible to justice.” They highlighted steps being taken, including:

• Introducing new laws to ban electronic devices used to steal vehicles
• Training police officers on modern vehicle theft techniques
• Collaborating with the automotive industry to address vehicle vulnerabilities

The spokesperson also noted that vehicle crime fell by 12% in the year to June 2025, with vehicle theft down 7%, suggesting some preventive measures are beginning to have an effect.

Why London Leads in Unsolved Car Theft

Experts argue that London’s high rate of unsolved vehicle crime is driven by several factors:

1. High population density and traffic make tracking stolen vehicles more difficult.
2. Organised criminal gangs use sophisticated methods, including electronic theft devices.
3. Resource constraints at the Met Police limit the capacity to fully investigate all cases.

With nearly nine out of ten thefts going unsolved, London residents remain at risk, and calls for improved police resources and national coordination are growing louder.