Gone are the days when thieves targeted stealing entire cars. With the advent of modern technology and technology-enabled features and components, car thieves are also targeting various key parts of vehicles. Luxury car owners in the UK are facing a new challenge as the headlights of many luxury cars are targeted by car thieves. This alarming trend is being dubbed nationally as eye-opening.
Over the past few decades, automotive headlamp design has evolved significantly. Headlamps have gone from simple to extremely sophisticated. Modern high-end cars use advanced matrix LED technology and dynamic active features. So even a single headlight can cost thousands of dollars.
Luxury cars such as Mercedes-Benz, Audi, and BMW are equipped with very sophisticated headlights. Due to the advanced technology used in these headlights, the cost of a single headlamp on these vehicles is very high. Stealing a headlight is less risky than stealing an entire vehicle, which means less effort and easier money for the thief. It is easier and safer for criminals to sell individual components at local stores or online to unsuspecting buyers. On the other hand, for luxury cars, some headlights can cost around $4,300 each, which translates to more than $4,300 in dollars. INR360,000. The exposed position of these headlights makes things easier for thieves and makes them easy targets as well.
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Fleet World has reported that there has been a significant increase in theft of luxury car headlights in the UK in recent months. In the process of stealing the headlights, the vehicle also faces collateral damage where the bumper, fenders, and hood are damaged. With this trend, owners of luxury cars are also facing insurance challenges as they have to pay higher premiums due to the higher risk of theft.
According to data from the UK’s Office for National Statistics, vehicle tampering incidents in the country increased by 2% between April 2023 and March 2024, from 52,268 to 53,369. This figure includes cases where components were stolen from parked vehicles, such as wheels, tires, headlights, and even mechanical parts.
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First edition publication date: September 30, 2024, 13:07 PM IST
