These are the top 10 most stolen motors in the UK – and it’s bad news for German car owners

SEVEN out of the top 10 most stolen cars in the UK are made by German manufacturers.

Audi, BMW, Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz motors all compiled the list, with the latter's C-Class targeted the most by thieves.

According to new data by the Colewood Automotive agency, the BMW X5 was the second-most stolen and recovered car in the UK.

The Munich-based premium carmaker also saw its 3 Series and sporty M3 model feature in the top 10.

Meanwhile, the British-made Range Rover Autobiography was the most expensive car on the list - setting back owners over £100,000.

It was one of three Land Rovers in the top 10, joining the Range Rover Sport and Land Rover Discovery.

The popular Volkswagen Golf was the cheapest car out of the top 10 most stolen, starting at just under £19,000.

While a car's value and specifications are some of the major factors determining the price of its insurance, cover providers also look at a car's desirability and risk of theft.

Car thefts have also been on the rise in the since 2015, when 349,555 vehicle offences were recorded across England and Wales in March, according to the ONS (Office for National Statistics).

The figure in March this year stood at 457,036 , marking over a 30 per cent increase in car crime.

Around 30 cars are reported as stolen every day.

Keyless cars have been blamed for the rise in thefts, with criminals using relay devices to enter new cars within seconds.

Entering a car through an unlocked door made up a half of all vehicle thefts in 2016 - 13 per cent higher than a decade earlier.

Last September West Midlands Police released CCTV footage of a gang using a relay box to steal a Mercedes off a victim’s drive in just 60 seconds.

London is unsurprisingly the UK hotspot for car thefts, followed by Essex and the West Midlands.