British automotive manufacturer Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) is committing over £1 million to bolster proactive policing efforts against organised crime groups targeting vehicles in the UK.
The investment will enhance police capabilities across several forces, providing additional resources to tackle vehicle thefts in high-risk areas. Additionally, JLR is helping establish a national policing unit dedicated to gathering intelligence.
“We are constantly developing our systems and security features, and through our close collaboration with police, we stay ahead of any emerging methods and quickly deploy anti-theft measures,” JLR UK managing director Patrick McGillycuddy commented.
“This additional investment, coupled with our other ongoing and proactive action, shows our commitment to supporting the authorities in having a tangible impact on combating this issue in the UK.”
Beyond the announced funding, JLR is also assisting UK authorities by sharing vehicle location and telematics data aimed at the recovery of stolen vehicles and prosecution of car thieves. As part of this collaboration, JLR has trained over 650 officers to help search for stolen vehicles and seize the tools used by criminals.
Citing data from the Police National Computer, JLR pointed to the effectiveness of its latest vehicles in resisting theft. It said that since January 2022, only 0.2% of new Range Rover and Range Rover Sport models have been stolen, and only 0.3% of new Defenders have been impacted since their rollout in 2020.
For owners of older models, including those out of warranty, JLR has invested £15 million to enhance vehicle security. It has also provided over 46,300 quotes since launching Jaguar Insurance and Land Rover Insurance late last year.
When the insurance proposition was introduced, a JLR spokesperson said: “Customers of luxury cars and other luxury items are experiencing an increase in thefts due to organised criminal activity in the UK. The desirability of our luxury vehicles, coupled with concerns around thefts, has recently led to challenges in obtaining insurance cover for some clients.
“We are fully committed to doing everything we can to address this by adopting a multifaceted approach: from our significant investment in vehicle security, to now providing our own insurance.”
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