The number of car thefts has fallen to a record low over the past 15 years thanks to improved inbuilt security, according to anti-car crime foundation AVc.

In 2000, 25,000 vehicles were stolen. Last year, this had fallen to 10,712, the AVc says.

However, the number of cars which are recovered remains low. For cars between two and five years old, 25% to 30% are found. For vehicles under one year old, the figure rises to 40%, possibly due to new security and tracking systems, the AVc said.

Newer cars are more attractive to thieves and the Volkswagen Golf and Polo remain the most popular, followed by the BMW 3 series.