Most commonly stolen cars revealed: and what you can do to make sure you don’t buy one

German-manufactured cars are some of highest hit vehicles when it comes to theft, and if you accidently buy one then you could be the one in trouble.

● Cars most likely to be targeted by thieves have been revealed

● Every day, nearly 30 cars are identified as stolen and added to the Police National Computer

● Digital marketing agency, Colewood, secure deal with RAC to launch brand-new vehicle history check

Earlier in the year it was widely reported that UK car thefts were on the rise, which is a cause for concern. This makes buying a used car a risky business. Those who are looking to a grab a bargain with a car made by a German manufacturer may have even more need to be vigilant when looking to buy a second-hand vehicle. With car thefts being a growing issue, there’s several things that car buyers can do to ensure that they’re not purchasing a stolen vehicle.

Back in 2013, a shocking total of 70,053 cars were reported as stolen in England and Wales. Despite this being the lowest number of stolen cars in several years, these figures were set to rise over the next few years. In just three years, the number of vehicles taken without consent rose by a staggering 30%. The UK’s hotspot for stolen cars is London, with the West Midlands, West Yorkshire and Greater Manchester being the most likely targeted areas outside of London.

With that in mind, new research has shown what cars thieves tend to target. Mercedes, BMW, Volkswagen and Audi were all featured on the list. The top 10 most stolen and recovered vehicles are:

1. Mercedes-Benz C-Class

2. BMW X5

3. Range Rover Sport

4. Mercedes-Benz E-Class

5. BMW 3 Series

6. Land Rover Discovery

7. Range Rover Autobiography

8. BMW M3

9. VW Golf

10. Audi RS4

If you purchase a second-hand vehicle and you don’t know it’s stolen, police have every right to seize it if it’s registered as missing on their computer. Before buying off the used car market, it’s recommended that you carry out several checks.

Thankfully, a   HPI check  can do all the hard work for you. The RAC’s vehicle history check offers you peace of mind and lowers the risk of you making a mistake.

The RAC vehicle history report gives you vital information on the car’s past, as well as essential advice from motoring experts. They offer everything from a basic check for just £9.99 to a multi-vehicle check that allows you to check 5 vehicles from just £24.99.

Colewood’s Managing Director, Travis Coleman, said: “ This service will assist used car buyers over the coming year in making the right decision about the used cars they are considering buying by providing them with, amongst other things, details of outstanding finance, insurance write off data, MOT history, and exclusive to our service; RAC breakdown data.”

Less than half of Edinburgh trains arrive on time: Scotrail must do more, says Briggs

New figures reveal that trains arriving at Edinburgh Waverley and Haymarket are more likely to arrive late than on time. The figures, published monthly by ScotRail, show that trains in the capital are amongst the latest in Scotland. Continue reading Less than half of Edinburgh trains arrive on time: Scotrail must do more, says Briggs

Who’s next? City nominations sought for Queen’s Awards

As deadlines loom, the Lord Lieutenant of Edinburgh has called on people across the city to nominate outstanding volunteers and organisations for special recognition from the Queen. 

Frank Ross hopes to see the exceptional contributions made by some of the city’s brightest and best businesses and most dedicated volunteers shortlisted for the 2019 Queen’s Award for Enterprise and the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service. Continue reading Who’s next? City nominations sought for Queen’s Awards

Tim Minchin coming to Edinburgh Playhouse as part of UK tour

TIM MINCHIN, award-winning comedian, actor and composer, will return to the stage for his first UK tour dates since 2011. The UK premiere of BACK will commence in Ipswich on 15 October 2019 and comes to Edinburgh Playhouse on Tuesday 19 November 2019. Continue reading Tim Minchin coming to Edinburgh Playhouse as part of UK tour

Business confidence remains steady in August

Bank of Scotland’s Business Barometer for August 2018 shows:

  • Overall confidence for firms in Scotland remained steady at 17 per cent for second month in a row
  • Economic optimism stood at nine per cent, seven points above last month
  • Firms’ confidence in their own business prospects was 25 per cent, compared with 31 per cent in July

Business confidence in Scotland remained steady at 17 per cent during August, according to the latest Business Barometer from Bank of Scotland.

Companies reported lower confidence in their own business prospects, which fell six points to 25 per cent, but saw a seven point increase in economic optimism to nine per cent.

Companies’ hiring intentions showed a net balance of six per cent of businesses in Scotland expect to hire more staff during the next year. However, this is down seven points on last month.

Across Scotland, a net balance of 19 per cent of businesses said they felt that the UK’s exit from the European Union was having a negative impact on their expectations for business activity, up one point on a month ago.

Across the UK, overall confidence fell seven points to 23 per cent as firms’ optimism about the economy dropped eight points to 17 per cent. Firms’ confidence in their own business prospects dropped five points to 29 per cent.

The Business Barometer questions 1,200 businesses monthly and provides early signals about UK economic trends both regionally and nationwide.

Fraser Sime, regional director for Scotland at Bank of Scotland, said: “To see overall confidence holding firm demonstrates the continued resilience of Scottish businesses during uncertain times.

“In an evolving economic and political environment, firms should continue to seek trusted advice and optimise working capital. This will ensure they are well positioned to deal with potential challenges and capitalise on opportunities in order to maximise their full growth potential and play a part in helping Scotland prosper.”

UK regional picture 

Businesses in London and the West Midlands showed the most confidence, both at 37 per cent, ahead of the North West (35 per cent).

Those in the South East were the least confident, with an overall confidence of just eight per cent, 15 points below the national average. 

Sectors

From a sector perspective, firms in the manufacturing sector remained most confident at 38 per cent, but confidence of construction businesses fell sharply by ‑12 points to 36 per cent, closely followed by consumer services (‑6 points to 22 per cent) and other services (‑6 points to 18 per cent).

Hann-Ju Ho, Senior Economist, Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking commented: 
“Business confidence was resilient in the first half of the year, but has eased back recently. This reflects changes in perceptions of Brexit risks, which underscores the importance of current EU-UK negotiations.”