A freedom of information request submitted by Sheffield Rise has revealed that only 2 per cent of vehicle crimes across Sheffield’s east have resulted in a suspect being charged or summonsed since the beginning of 2023.

Data included in the same request shows that in 91.17 per cent of reported vehicle crimes, no suspect has been identified.

The data included offences such as vehicle theft, theft from a vehicle, and interfering with a motor vehicle.

Between January 2023 and October 2024, the Darnall ward reported the highest number of vehicle crimes, with a total of 954 incidents, accounting for 16.9 per cent of all crimes across the wards included in the data. Meanwhile, Mosborough saw the least crimes reported, with 162 incidents, comprising just 2.87 per cent of the total.

Analysis also revealed that winter months are the riskiest for vehicle crime. In 2023, January was the worst month, while in 2024, February saw the highest number of offences.

Detective Inspector Matt Lavender, from the neighbourhood crime team in Sheffield, commented:

“Unfortunately, we know that anyone can become a victim of vehicle theft and that it can have devastating impacts on victims. Across Sheffield, we have run a number of recent operations targeting vehicle crime, specifically looking at dismantling ‘chop shops,’ which are used to strip stolen vehicles for parts to sell on. Recently, three warrants have been conducted on suspected chop shops within the city, resulting in two arrests.

“We always strive to ensure we bring those responsible to justice, and our officers work closely with partners, including the Crown Prosecution Service, to do this. In addition to the arrests, last month we made three charges in relation to the theft of a motor vehicle.

“We unfortunately do see an increase in neighbourhood crime, which includes theft of and theft from a vehicle, during the winter months. Criminals use the longer nights to their advantage. We have a number of operations running as part of our approach to the dark nights period, including having additional patrols in certain hotspot areas.”