A Land Rover owner in London has gone to the extreme of chaining their vehicle to a tree to deter potential thieves. Range Rovers and Land Rovers were some of the most frequently stolen cars in the UK last year due to their high resale value. Car thefts have been on the rise with criminals using hacking technology to gain access to vehicles, sometimes even bypassing keyless fobs that car manufacturers have attempted to secure.

Land Rover
Image Source: Autocar India

In a striking anti-theft measure, online footage shows a Land Rover Defender—worth over £100,000—locked to a tree on a London street. The vehicle also has a specialized lock around its steering wheel. "Imagine paying £100k for a motor and having to lash it to a tree like a cheap bike, madness," remarked one witness.

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has taken action against car theft by funding police efforts to crack down on criminal gangs smuggling stolen vehicles abroad. Concerns have emerged that the wave of thefts targeting JLR cars is making them uninsurable, leading to some customers being denied coverage or facing unaffordable premiums.

Insurance Challenges

Drivers in cities where car theft is common have reported annual premiums exceeding £10,000, with some luxury car insurers outright refusing to cover these vehicles. In extreme cases, drivers have been hit with yearly insurance demands of £30,000, particularly affecting Range Rovers, which are prime targets for criminal gangs.

To address this crisis, JLR has significantly reduced the average price of its in-house insurance by over 80%. They assure buyers that if they purchase a new car, the company will contribute £150 per month toward their premium for up to three years. JLR’s CEO, Adrian Mardell, emphasizes that this issue affects all car manufacturers, including BMW and Mercedes.

One Land Rover owner in east London expressed that chaining their car to a tree might be the only way to guarantee its safety. Mark Watson, who has already invested in a £150 wheel lock, believes this extreme measure is necessary to protect his £100,000 vehicle.

As insurance costs for new Land Rovers and Range Rovers skyrocket, the situation remains challenging. In Cambridgeshire, 25 of these luxury cars were stolen in May alone. The managing director of Jaguar Land Rover UK, Patrick McGillycuddy, highlights their commitment to combating theft by continuously developing security features and collaborating closely with the police.

Despite these efforts, some customers are still grappling with exorbitant insurance prices. Meryl Cabellos, a Range Rover owner, saw his insurance cost rise from £2,000 to £4,000 last year, ultimately receiving a quote of £10,000 this year.

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