Car theft and vehicle crime in York
Police recorded 212 vehicle crimes within about a mile of York between October 2025 and September 2026. The last three months (81) ran 125% above the three before (36), so the recent direction is up.
York month by month
August 2026 stands out at 36 recorded offences, while April 2026 dropped to 9. The second half ran 23% above the first. Average: 17.7 a month.
| Month | Offences | vs 12-month average |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 22 | +4 |
| Nov 2025 | 24 | +6 |
| Dec 2025 | 17 | -1 |
| Jan 2026 | 10 | -8 |
| Feb 2026 | 12 | -6 |
| Mar 2026 | 10 | -8 |
| Apr 2026 | 9 | -9 |
| May 2026 | 13 | -5 |
| Jun 2026 | 14 | -4 |
| Jul 2026 | 21 | +3 |
| Aug 2026 | 36 | +18 |
| Sep 2026 | 24 | +6 |
How York compares
York sits at number 62 of 84 on our table, with 18 offences a month: around 25% below the typical town in our set. By contrast Cardiff recorded 116 a month.
Over the latest three months the one-mile circle around York averaged 27 vehicle offences a month. That is more than 86% of the sampled British postcodes, but well short of the worst. For context we counted the same one-mile radius around 400 random postcodes nationwide (Jul 2026, Aug 2026, Sep 2026). Test your own street with the free theft risk checker.
York is the only North Yorkshire Police area on our list. Across the 10 Yorkshire and the Humber towns we track it ranks 10 for vehicle crime per month.
Towns nearest to York
- Leeds (22 miles away): 63 a month, 257% more than York
- Wakefield (26 miles away): 22 a month, 25% more than York
- Bradford (30 miles away): 58 a month, 231% more than York
Where in York offences were recorded
The top five recorded locations hold 21% of all offences in the radius around York.
- On or near Parking Area: 25
- On or near : 6
- On or near Queen Anne's Road: 5
- On or near Bootham Terrace: 4
- On or near Conference/exhibition Centre: 4
What happened to York cases
The most common recorded outcome near York was "investigation complete; no suspect identified" (136 cases).
| Outcome | Offences | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 136 | 64% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 38 | 18% |
| Under investigation | 27 | 13% |
| Court result unavailable | 4 | 2% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 3 | 1% |
| Further investigation is not in the public interest | 2 | 1% |
What this means if you park near York
York sees around 18 vehicle offences a month: low by city standards, yet thieves target the most valuable cars first. Numbers have climbed recently, so review how your vehicle is protected before the next August.
Against the 212 offences logged here in a year, an aftermarket immobiliser slows thieves who clone or relay keys, and an S5 or S7 tracker covers you if they still get away. See installation options.
York car theft questions
How much car crime is there in York?
In the year to September 2026, 212 vehicle crimes were logged inside a mile of central York: about 18 every month, placing it 62 of the 84 towns we track (among the lower end).
When was vehicle crime worst in York?
York peaked in August 2026 at 36 recorded offences and bottomed out at 9 in April 2026; 24 were logged in September 2026.
Are car thieves caught in York?
Police.uk shows 136 of 212 York cases (64%) closed without a suspect and 7 with a court-stage outcome, so an owner is far better served by an immobiliser and tracker than by the odds of a conviction.
Does this cover stolen cars only in York?
No. Police.uk counts theft of a vehicle, theft from a vehicle and vehicle interference together as vehicle crime, so the 212 figure for York is wider than stolen cars alone.
Source: police.uk, centred on 53.959, -1.0815, retrieved 2026-11-06. Method and limits.