Police hit out as city tops table for car theft

POLICE in Hull have defended their record on vehicle crime after an insurance company named the city as the riskiest place in Britain for motor thefts.

According to Endsleigh's annual motor theft index, based on analysis of claims over the last three years from tens of thousands of policyholders, cars are more likely to be stolen or broken into in Hull than anywhere else in the country.

The report, which is published today, ranks towns and cities by comparing the frequency of claims rather than the total number of incidents.

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It also names Bradford as the third riskiest place, Doncaster fifth and Sheffield eighth.

A spokesman for Endsleigh said: "Recent Government statistics have shown a national reduction in car crime by almost a fifth over the past year, however, some towns and cities are riskier than others.

"Endsleigh's statistics show that eight out of the top 10 riskiest places for motor theft are in the Midlands and North of England, with four cities in Yorkshire making the list.

Only two cities in southern England, London and Reading, are named in the top 10."

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Humberside Police challenged the findings and produced other statistics to show vehicle crime was falling in Hull.

Det Chief Insp Scott Young said: "Vehicle crime is an area of success for Hull and it is difficult to gauge how Endsleigh Insurance captures its data.

"I am very pleased to say,

however, that using official sources, Hull performs exceptionally well in the area of vehicle crime and I would gladly counter any other argument in relation to that.

"Hull is a safe place to live and work and Humberside Police works very hard to ensure that it stays that way."

The safest place in Britain to own a vehicle was Swindon, followed by Cheltenham and Solihull.