Vehicle crime hotspots: where car crime is highest in Leeds

Vehicle crime, from theft of and from cars to interfering with a vehicle, remains one of the most common offences drivers face. Using official police data for May 2026, we counted reported vehicle crimes within roughly a mile of each major city centre in England and Wales to see where the problem is most concentrated.

City centres by reported vehicle crime, May 2026. 1. Leeds: 76 reported vehicle crimes 2. London: 75 reported vehicle crimes 3. Birmingham: 69 reported vehicle crimes 4. Bristol: 62 reported vehicle crimes 5. Leicester: 61 reported vehicle crimes 6. Sheffield: 57 reported vehicle crimes

What it means. These figures count crimes reported to police within about a mile of each city centre, so they reflect busy central districts rather than whole cities, and they are a guide to where vehicles are most at risk rather than an exact league table. Central areas with car parks, nightlife and on-street parking tend to see the most incidents.

Protecting your car. Most vehicle crime is opportunistic. Parking in well-lit or covered spaces, using a visible steering lock, keeping valuables and keys out of sight, and fitting a Thatcham-approved alarm or tracker all reduce the risk. If you are buying a used car, a full service history and a check that its security features work are worth the time; you can find a trusted garage for a security or pre-purchase check on Garage.co.uk.

About the data. Figures come from official police street-level data published under the Open Government Licence at data.police.uk, covering England, Wales and the British Transport Police for May 2026, the latest month available. Some forces report street-level data less granularly, so a low count can mean less data rather than less crime. This is general information, not advice.