Revealed: Number of car thefts reported to West Midlands Police in four years as force warns of potential rise in summer months
More than 60,000 car thefts were reported to West Midlands Police in a four-year period, figures show.
Data published by the force under the Freedom of Information Act has revealed how many reports of car thefts it received between 2020 and 2024.
It is also shows how many of these reports led to a charge or summons being issued, which is an order requiring a person to appear in court.
In the years 2020 to 2024, West Midlands Police - which covers the Black Country comprising Walsall, Wolverhampton, Dudley and Sandwell, as well as Birmingham, Solihull and Coventry - received reports of 62,183 car thefts, leading to a total of 1,258 charges or summons issued.
The highest figure was recorded in 2023, when the force had 14,516 car theft reports.
In 2020, 1.71 per cent of the total car thefts reported to West Midlands Police led to a charge or summons.
This percentage dropped in 2021, when 1.34 per cent of car thefts reported led to a charge or summons.
In 2022, 1.83 per cent of the total car thefts reported led to a charge or summons. The percentage however increased to 2.25 per cent in 2023 and 2.74 per cent in 2024.
