The Seat Ibiza, Volkswagen Golf, Seat León, Ford Focus and BMW 3 Series lead the list of the most stolen cars in Spain. But not all units are equally coveted, the preferred ones are those that are older. This follows from the study ‘Carjackings. Data 2020’ prepared by Somos Seguros, a dissemination initiative of the national insurance entity Unespa, in collaboration with the Zaragoza Center.
These five models account for 18% of the thefts in Spain, but thefts of the Opel Astra, Volkswagen Polo, Citroën Xsara and Renault Mégane also accumulate. In addition, two out of every three insured units that suffered a robbery in Spain were more than 10 years old. And what motive is behind this demand for veteran bestsellers? “They are particularly coveted by thieves because, due to their great acceptance, there is a significant demand for parts for repairs,” explains Unespa in his report.
The versions that can be stolen the most are usually from the early 2000s. The study shows that combining brand, model and age, the model that has suffered the most theft mishaps in 2020 has been the 2002 Seat León, followed by the same model from 2001. Then there was the Seat Ibiza from 2004, 2003 and 2002. The Volkswagen Golf from 1998 was sixth in the ranking.
According to the report, although the best sellers are the most stolen vehicles, this does not mean that they are necessarily the most coveted. The models that arouse the greatest interest among friends of the alien are the smallest cars for urban use and vans. The ranking is headed by a microcar, the Ligiers-JS, with almost 10 times more likely to be stolen. It is followed by two vans, the Fiat Fiorino and the Fiat Dobló Cargo, and two minicompacts, the Abarth 500 and the Seat Arosa. All of them multiply by four the probability of being robbed compared to the average.
Theft insurance is not mandatory
According to the estimates made, in 2020 there were in Spain just over 20 million vehicles of all kinds insured against theft (cars, vans, motorcycles…), which represents 66% of the mobile fleet. But it is the owners of tourism-type vehicles who most opt for theft insurance. In fact, they account for 91.4% of the park protected against theft when the representation of passenger cars within the insured mobile park is 77%.
Theft insurance is not mandatory, so it is up to the driver or owner to hire it or not. In this link we explain all the keys to take out your car insurance.
Car thefts are reduced
The good news is that vehicle thefts have decreased steadily, going from around 225,000 thefts in 2010 to around 100,000 in 2020. Available data estimates that car insurance dealt with around 101,000 claims in 2020, including both thefts of vehicles and their interior. 87.2% of thefts affect passenger cars.
This reduction in the number of robberies in a decade responds to several factors, among which Unespa highlights the improvements made in vehicle safety, also the action of the State security forces and bodies and the fact that homes are already building with a garage and more cars spend the nights more protected.
How likely am I to have my car stolen? Geographic location and vehicle are key.
Seville, the province with the most robberies
According to data from insurers, Seville was in 2020 the province with the highest probability of suffering a theft mishap. Specifically, 91% higher than that of the whole of Spain. Behind them are Melilla (76%), Ciudad Real (64%), Madrid (59.38%), Huelva (44.89%) or Barcelona (42.89%). On the opposite side, where there are fewer risks, it is in Pontevedra, Asturias, La Coruña, Lugo, Cantabria or Castellón. Where there is a greater concentration of population, the probability of robbery increases.
By municipalities and after analyzing cities with more than 75,000 inhabitants, the report concludes that Seville is the city most likely to suffer a robbery (185% higher than in the whole of Spain). Parla appears in second place (in the Community of Madrid with a risk of 160%), followed by Ciudad Real, Melilla, Dos Hermanas (Seville), Santa Coloma del Gramenet (Barcelona), Fuenlabrada (Madrid) and Badalona (Barcelona). ). You can see the complete list in photos of the gallery.
Where they steal the least is in Pontevedra, Lugo, Santander, Cantabria, Gijón, Oviedo, Santiago de Compostela, Almería, Orense or Toledo.
