These are the most stolen car brands and models in 2022. Is your car on this list?

One of the biggest concerns we car owners have is that thieves will notice it and steal it. This doesn’t tend to happen very often in our country, but there is always a risk that it could. Every year the Ministry of the Interior compiles the criminal acts that take place in our country, so it is possible to find out how many car thefts have been suffered over the course of a year.

And that’s not all. In the recently published Crime Balance, you can check all the crimes committed from January to September 2022. Among them, a breakdown of all stolen cars: not only the number of vehicles taken, but also grouped by make and model.

How many cars have been stolen in Spain in 2022?

The number of cars stolen between January and September 2022 was 22,913 vehicles, about 3,000 fewer than were taken in the same period of 2019. Although technology has been improving vehicle security against theft, thieves’ methods of accessing and stealing vehicles have also improved. These cars are usually destined for foreign markets, where they may be sold whole or dismantled for spare parts.

High-end cars are usually destined for sale in other countries, while lower-end cars are mostly destined for spare parts. That is why, alongside premium cars, more basic models are also stolen. The spare parts obtained from them also make them a sought-after target for these theft rings.

But which are the most stolen makes and models in our country?

The most stolen cars in Spain in 2022

The make with the most thefts has been Mercedes-Benz, which accounted for 14.7% of the total. Toyota came second on this list, with a percentage very similar to the first place. It is followed by BMW, with 14.4%; Audi, with 10.4%; Ford, with 7.8%; and Volkswagen, with 6.85% of the total.

In terms of models, the most sought-after by thieves are the Mercedes-Benz GLC/GLE; the Toyota Land Cruiser; the RAV4; and the BMW X5. Among the most common cars, the SEAT Ibiza, the SEAT León and the Volkswagen Golf stand out.

What should you do if your car has been stolen?

We hope you never have to face this problem, but if it ever happens to you, this is what you should do. First, report the theft to the Policía Nacional or the Guardia Civil. They will take care of alerting the DGT, so that the owner is free of liability for offences committed after the theft.

Then you must notify your insurer, so they are aware of what has happened. As soon as the vehicle is recovered, you must inform the Police or the Guardia Civil and your insurer. In this way, the insurer can check the damage caused and, if it is covered by the policy, arrange the corresponding compensation.