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Car Thieves are targeting ignition keys to steel motors rather than trying to break into vehicles, it was revealed today.

And Key theft is particularly prevelant among criminals looking to steal more expensive cars. Improvements in vehicle security systems have cut the number of cars stolen each year in the UK.

However since the beging of this year as many as 93% of car theft claims where the vehicle was worth more than £10,000 and had either failed to turn up or been found burnt out involved the cars origional keys being used to steel it.

Of these 73% were following a burglary at the policyholders home. A new trend this year was the “gym locker” car theft. Where criminals follow gym users from the car park into their sports centre, make a note of the room locker used to store their belongings and then force it open to steal the keys and subsequently the vehicle.

Other types of thefts have included keys being stolen by violent car-jacking and incidents where the car was driven off as the owner opened the boot with the keys still in the ignition.

Gordon Hannah, head of claims at esure car insurance, said: “It is a concern that improvements in car security are now driving hardened criminals towards much more serious crimes in order to steal cars. Insurance is there to protect our customers cars but this type of theft puts car owners and their homes at risk too.
Now that key thefts are the dominant cause of car thefts on our books, we would urge car owners to redouble their vigilance. It’s essential to keep car keys hidden and never leave them anywhere on display or within the reach of criminal hands.”

Quotes from esure car insurance via motors today.