DUMFRIES and Galloway ranks among the safest locations for vehicle crime in Scotland.
During 2021-22, Scottish police forces received 4512 reports of vehicle crime, which includes the theft of a vehicle, theft from a vehicle, or damage to a car.
This is an increase from 2020-21 when there were 4311 reports, and the experts fear these rates will continue to rise amidst the cost-of-living crisis.
After police reported an increase in cases last year, motor safety experts at Road Angel crunched the numbers to reveal which regions had the worst levels.
And it was found that Dumfries and Galloway had 47 crimes and offences recorded in 2021-22, as well as a crime rate of three; the number of vehicle offences per 10,000 recorded by police.
This pairs the region up with Argyll, Bute and Na h-Eileanan Siar as some of the safer areas in Scotland for vehicle owners.
Conversely, Glasgow City has the highest number of crimes recorded at 756 while Dundee City has the highest crime rate at 16.
Gary Digva, the founder of Road Angel, said: “The data shows that Dundee, Edinburgh, and Glasgow are hotspots for criminals praying on vehicles, so those who reside there or plan to visit with their cars, vans, or motorbikes should take precautions to keep them safe.
“Even in the areas deemed safer, vehicle owners should remain vigilant as vehicle offences are on the rise.
“Always ensure that windows are up, the doors are locked, and your keys are safe and secure.
“Investing in dashcams is also a good idea, especially models with the “parking mode” feature, which can monitor vehicles while stationary through sensors that start recording if they detect a disturbance automatically, and 24 hours a day.
“Dashcams can act as a deterrent, making criminals think twice before snooping around people’s cars or inflicting significant damage.”
