Tyre Thefts Across the UK Surge by Over a Quarter, FOI Data Shows.
Having your car tyres stolen isn’t just an inconvenience – it can leave your car undrivable, rack up unexpected costs, and even compromise tyre safety if replacements aren’t fitted properly. And for thousands of drivers across the UK, it’s a problem that keeps happening.
To find out where motorists face the biggest risks, we analysed five years of police force data from Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, alongside official crime statistics from ONS. This study looks at:
- Tyre and wheel thefts reported between 2019 and 2024
- Rates per 100,000 residents, to see where drivers are most at risk
- Year-on-year changes, showing where the problem is getting worse
- Wider vehicle offences, for context on car crime overall
The findings don’t just point to long-term hotspots, they also reveal surprising new problem areas and some communities where tyre theft is spreading for the first time.
So, where are drivers most at risk, and what does it mean for motorists across the UK?
Tyre theft and vehicle offences: Key findings
- Durham has the highest tyre theft rate in the UK, with 41 thefts per 100,000 people between 2019 and 2024.
- Hertfordshire has the most tyre thefts overall, with 465 in five years, including 129 cases in 2020 – more than double the totals in 2022, 2023, and 2024.
- Dyfed-Powys tyre thefts quadrupled in a year, from 3 cases in 2023 to 12 in 2024.
- Powys has seen the fastest growth in overall vehicle offences – up 70% year-on-year.