Car thieves getting away with £200 fines

MOST car thieves are punished with a fine of less than £200, it has emerged.

And, according to a report published today, just one in five of those caught stealing a car has been jailed.

The remainder are fined an average of just £198. The fine for driving in a bus lane in London is £160.

Critics warn that such ‘soft justice’ is not enough to deter car crooks – in the relatively unlikely case that they will be caught in the first place.

The figures emerge as concerns grow over a sharp rise in thefts, much of it linked to the increasing number of keyless vehicles on our roads.

In total, almost 380,000 vehicles were reported stolen to police between 2012 and 2016 – the equivalent of 208 every day.

Over this five-year period there have been 7,405 prosecutions – an average of four a day. In the 20 per cent of cases where thieves have been jailed, the average sentence has been 21 months.

There has been a sharp increase in the number of trials of juveniles in car theft cases, with a 52 per cent rise in the number of under-18s prosecuted.

The findings are based on analysis of official figures from the Ministry of Justice and the Office for National Statistics.

Steve Barrett, head of car insurance at Churchill, which analysed the data, said: ‘As well as being a harrowing experience, having your car stolen can be a huge inconvenience, with many people reliant on their cars.

‘It is, therefore, concerning that so few custodial sentences are handed down for vehicle theft. The deterrents are not strong enough to prevent criminals. The punishment needs to reflect the impact of the crime, with greater sentences and fines.’

After a decade of decline, theft is on the increase again. Police blame the rise of organised gangs which export stolen vehicles after hacking the codes that unlock and start keyless cars.

Figures from the ONS show that 87,103 vehicles were reported stolen in 2016. London is the car theft capital, with cases up 54 per cent over the five years. The West Midlands was in second place.