Why are Black Country car thieves targeting these Fiats?

Nine Abarth 595s, a performance model of the Fiat 500 priced from £17,000, were stolen in the Black Country in January.

Another standard Fiat 500 was taken from a house in a leafy area of Stafford.

The thefts were raised publicly by victims, many of whom said their vehicles were taken without keys or smashed glass.

Police recently highlighted the use of relay devices that push signals from electronic car keys to vehicles parked outside.

Thieves have made use of the high-tech gadgets to steal valuable cars without having to force entry.

West Midlands Police confirmed nine Abarths 595s had been stolen in the Black Country in the first month of this year.

They were taken in Walsall, Oldbury, Halesowen, Smethwick, Stourbridge, Brierley Hill, Tipton, Dudley and Wednesbury.

But a spokesman for the force, which is investigating every one of the reported thefts, said the crimes were not being linked.

Vehicle crime in the West Midlands shot up 32 per cent to a staggering 35,671 incidents in the 12 months up to September last year – almost 100 a day.

Simon Williams, spokesman for the RAC Foundation, said the appeal of the high-powered Abarth 595 may mean criminals were stealing them to order.

Dave and Simone Beebee had their navy blue Abarth stolen from their driveway in Elwell Street in Wednesbury in the early hours of January 29.

The vehicle was bought only two months earlier from an Arnold Clark dealership in Oldbury and had just over 500 miles on the clock.

Mr Beebee said: “It appears new models of this car are being stolen across our area – it all seems too much of a coincidence.

“In almost all cases the thieves are taking the vehicles from driveways without keys or smashing glass.

“This is a professional scheme and we hope by raising the issue it can be stopped.We woke up to find the car was gone without the keys being used. They were still in the house. We were shocked and upset.”

Kate Darke’s vehicle was stolen from her address in Stourbridge Road in Dudley sometime between midnight on January 13 and midday the following day. It was later recovered, on January 28, and is undergoing forensic analysis.

She warned other owners and urged them to be vigilant and take extra precautions.

In December, couple Stephen and Denise Scotts, of Witney Road in Stafford, had their Fiat 500 stolen from their drive. Mr Scotts said: “I’m not sure what is going on, but it seems the car is being targeted .”

Mr Williams, from the RAC Foundation, said: “Wanted cars change with trends.

“It could be seen as an attractive car and it maybe a case these vehicles are being stolen for order or for being shipped abroad.”

He added: “Owners need to take extra precautions, perhaps going back in time to get steering locks, while police need to clamp down on vehicle thefts.”

Concerns

In a statement, Abarth UK said: “We have recently been made aware of a small number of thefts. Should any customer wish to discuss this concern, our customer relations team are available.

“The Abarth 595 is being constantly upgraded for safety and security as the model continues production.”

The spokesman for West Midlands Police said: “Enquiries are ongoing but the crimes are not thought to be linked.”

He added: “To protect against this type of theft, owners can use an additional tested and Thatcham-approved steering lock to cover the entire steering wheel.

“We also recommend Thatcham-approved tracking solutions fitted to the vehicle.

“It is always worth speaking to a main dealer, to ensure that a car has had all the latest software updates and talk through security concerns with them.”

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101.