LONDON: The number of Range Rovers that have been stolen in the UK has fallen by more than 40% for recent models, after Jaguar Land Rover bolstered security features in response to a wave of thefts of its luxury SUVs.
JLR has invested £10 million (RM58mil) since September 2022 in security updates for 65,000 Range Rover and Range Rover Sport vehicles made between 2018 and 2022, the company said.
This included updating software preventing thieves from driving away without a key.
The updates have resulted in a fall of more than 40% in the number of thefts of these vehicles in October 2023 from a year earlier, JLR said, citing data from the Police National Computer database.
New Range Rover models have become a popular target for thieves in the UK because of their value and keyless technology.
The Range Rover Velar was the most-stolen car in the year to March 2023, with more than two out of every 100 reported stolen, according to data released earlier this year by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency.
Range Rover owners have found it increasingly difficult to insure their cars, with premiums soaring and many providers not offering cover because of the higher risk of theft.
The crime wave has hit JLR particularly hard and the company’s brands accounted for six of the most commonly stolen vehicles, according to the DVLA data.
JLR chief executive officer Adrian Mardell highlighted the issue on an analyst call in June and said London and Manchester were the main problem areas.
Patrick McGillycuddy, JLR’s UK managing director, said tackling security issues was his personal priority.
Earlier this month, JLR said its order book stood at 168,000, with the Range Rover, Range Roverr Sport and Land Rover Defender models making up the bulk of the orders.
