Greater Manchester Police 

Greater Manchester Police are not just limited to the city that bears its name; the force also covers Bolton, Rochdale and Stockport, along with a number of surrounding suburbs and villages.

The city of Manchester has one of the highest rates of car crime per 10,000 registered vehicles in the country, with three out of every 10 vehicles subjected to some form of attack. The worst district by postcode is M2, with a staggering 3180 car crimes, which makes it the worst district in the country. Shopping areas, the national exhibition centre (GMEX) and hotel districts show the most crime, with theft from a motor vehicle representing half of all offences committed.

Car crime drops considerably as you venture away from the city centre, with cars parked in Manchester’s M1 area being almost twice as safe as those parked in the city centre’s M2 district. M1 recorded 1651 car crimes, compared to the 3180 of central Manchester, suggesting criminals prefer the anonymity of bustling shopping districts compared to the quieter suburbs.

The safest districts in Greater Manchester are found in the suburbs and villages, with Sale having the lowest car crime, with just 31 offences per 10,000 vehicles. The villages surrounding Bolton also show low car crime, with BL7 showing 59 comparable incidents. 

Makes of car at most risk include Daewoo (341 offences), Mercedes-Benz (336 offences) and Mitsubishi (246 offences). The safest vehicles were Jaguar (65 offences) and Porsche (88 offences). 

See also: Top 10 Cars Stolen to order / Top 10 Most Stolen Cars / Crime homepage