Anthony Jones Insurance Brokers were not terribly surprised to see findings from Direct Line van insurance that a van is stolen every 46 minutes in Britain, with just two in five (39%) recovered by the police.
We are well versed in placing Motor Fleet insurance for businesses of all sorts of shapes and sizes with vans at the core of activities. If you have been unfortunate enough to have had a vehicle stolen, vandalised or damaged after a theft you will appreciate the distress and inconvenience of having to deal with the consequences. We don’t charge you for providing quotations so if you are unsure of your current arrangements get in touch with our motor team.
Vans are frequently targeted by thieves for several reasons:
- Valuable Contents: Vans often carry expensive tools and equipment. Items are easy to resell and can fetch a high price.
- High Resale Value: Popular van models themselves have a high resale value, making them attractive targets for theft.
- Security Vulnerabilities: Many vans have security weaknesses that make them easier to break into compared to other vehicles.
- Demand for Parts: Stolen vans are sometimes dismantled for parts, which are sold individually.
- Urban Hotspots: Cities with dense populations and commercial activities, such as London and Manchester, see higher rates of van theft due to the abundance of targets
Figures from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), obtained through a Freedom of Information (FOI) request, reveal that 11,273 vans, worth an estimated £200 million, were reported stolen in England, Wales and Scotland in 2024, averaging 31 thefts a day.
Among those vans stolen, the Ford Transit was the most targeted model, with almost 6,000 stolen (5,906), accounting for more than half (52%) of all thefts.
Despite this, more than 2,000 (2,041) Ford Transits were successfully recovered by the police, comprising nearly half (46%) of total vans retrieved.
Amongst the top five most stolen van models, the Peugeot Boxer had the highest proportion of vans stolen compared to the number of licensed vans on the road, with 7.7 thefts per 1,000 licensed vans.
Most stolen van models in the UK
| Top five most stolen van models | ||
| Model | Number stolen in 2024 | Thefts per every 1,000 licensed vans |
| Ford Transit | 5,906 | 5.8 |
| Mercedes Sprinter | 1,492 | 7.5 |
| Peugeot Boxer | 524 | 7.7 |
| Vauxhall Vivaro | 423 | 1.6 |
| Citroën Relay | 405 | 6 |
Source: DVLA and Direct Line business insurance 2025
