NI’s vehicle crime hotspots revealed

The most prolific areas for vehicle crime in Northern Ireland have been revealed in new police figures.

Data gathered by motoring experts CompareNI.com shows there have been 3,110 vehicle thefts across the country over the last three years – with a further 2,815 incidents of items being stolen from vehicles.

The figures, obtained through a Freedom of Information request to the PSNI, also reveal that Belfast saw the sharpest rise in vehicle thefts over the last year – up by 26 per cent from 288 to 364.

In fact, between April 2022- March 2025, the capital made up a third of all vehicle theft offences in Northern Ireland (1,024), and almost half of all theft from vehicle offences (1,341).

Outside Belfast, Newry, Mourne and Down District Council was the second hardest hit region with 297 vehicle thefts, with Derry City & Strabane coming a close third at 291 incidents.

At the other end of the scale, Ards and North Down ranks as the safest area to own a car, with 136 vehicles taken over the three-year-period, followed by Mid and East Antim (152) and Lisburn and Castlereagh (161).

When it comes to items being stolen from vehicles, Newry, Mourne and Down District Council was also the worst region outside Belfast, with 288 offences reported. That figure is three times higher than in Causeway Coast and Glens, which recorded the lowest number of thefts from vehicle offences at 96.

Encouragingly, while overall vehicle thefts across NI have risen slightly by 3% year-on-year, seven out of the 11 council areas have seen a drop in offences.

Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon showed the biggest decline, down from 116 vehicles taken in 2023/24 to 81 in the most recent 12-month period.

When measured against other UK regions, Northern Ireland has a comparatively low rate of vehicle thefts per population, equating to 161 offences per 100,000 people. In contrast, the West Midlands has the highest rate of offences with 42,863 vehicles taken, which is 1,438 thefts per 100,000 people.

Ian Wilson, car insurance expert and Managing Director at CompareNI.com urged motorists to take action to help reduce the chances of vehicle crime.

He said: “Having your car or van broken into or stolen is not just distressing and inconvenient, it can have lasting financial repercussions, including higher insurance premiums, loss of your no-claims discount and the cost of replacing any personal belongings that may not be covered by insurance.

“While it is positive to see that vehicle crime has dropped in many parts of Northern Ireland over the last year, the number of overall offences has seen a small increase, and it remains a persistent issue in some areas – particularly in Belfast.

“If you are living in areas with higher rates of vehicle crime, you may find yourself paying more for insurance, due to the increased risk of theft or break-ins. While there isn’t much you can do about your location, there are some precautions you can take to make your vehicle less of a target to would-be thieves and help reduce the cost of your insurance.”

Five tips to help prevent vehicle crime:

1. Park somewhere safe: Parking in a garage or on a private driveway may be enough to deter opportunistic criminals and could help lower insurance premiums, as providers can factor in the lower risk. In fact, data suggests drivers can save over £140 on average each year by parking on a driveway compared to a public road.*
2. Beware keyless theft: Tech-savvy criminals can use specialist equipment to hack open and start a vehicle if the key fob is nearby. To prevent these relay attacks at home, make sure the fob is not stored near any doors or windows, making it harder for thieves to capture its signal. For added peace of mind, consider storing the fob in a signal-blocking security pouch.**
3. Consider extra security: Upgrading a factory-fitted immobiliser to an advanced or ‘ghost’ immobiliser can protect vehicles against the most sophisticated theft techniques, including key cloning, hacking or relay attacks.***
4. Visual deterrents:  Steering wheel locks and wheel clamps are a simple and affordable way to make vehicles less appealing targets to opportunistic thieves, who rely on a quick getaway.
5. Keep valuables out of sight: While it may seem obvious, one of the easiest ways to prevent vehicle crime is to remove the temptation for criminals. Don’t leave any belongings on display – even a shopping bag on the back seat or loose change in the cup holder could be enough to pique a thief’s interest.

CompareNI.com helps hundreds of thousands of drivers every year find savings on car insurance, as well as niche items such as taxi, van and 4×4 insurance. 

Theft or unauthorised taking of a motor vehicle

NI District Council Area	2022/23	2023/24	2024/25	Total
Belfast City	372	288	364	1,024
Lisburn & Castlereagh	57	41	63	161
Ards & North Down	46	48	42	136
Newry, Mourne & Down	101	97	99	297
Armagh City, Banbridge & Craigavon	99	116	81	296
Mid Ulster	69	62	59	190
Fermanagh & Omagh	61	48	40	149
Derry City & Strabane	110	85	96	291
Causeway Coast & Glens	55	63	58	176
Mid & East Antrim	53	51	48	152
Antrim & Newtownabbey	72	94	72	238
Northern Ireland Total	1095	993	1022	3110

Theft from a vehicle

NI District Council Area	2022/23	2023/24	2024/25	Total
Belfast City	452	438	451	1341
Lisburn & Castlereagh	46	47	35	128
Ards & North Down	45	50	28	123
Newry, Mourne & Down	114	85	89	288
Armagh City, Banbridge & Craigavon	69	78	47	194
Mid Ulster	38	58	32	128
Fermanagh & Omagh	30	48	30	108
Derry City & Strabane	55	71	37	163
Causeway Coast & Glens	42	34	20	96
Mid & East Antrim	40	31	30	101
Antrrim & Newtownabbey	59	42	44	145
Northern Ireland Total	990	982	843	2815

References:

*https://www.quotezone.co.uk/car-insurance/guides/save-on-young-driver-costs

**https://www.psni.police.uk/safety-and-support/roads-and-driving/preventing-car-and-vehicle-theft

***https://www.carwow.co.uk/editorial/automotive-glossary/car-technology-and-equipment/ghost-immobiliser#gref