The Ford Fiesta may have been discontinued some time ago, but in the UK, it remains incredibly popular on the used vehicle market. In fact, the Fiesta closed out 2023 as the UK’s best-selling used vehicle of the year, and that success continued well into 2024 as well. Given this information, it doesn’t necessarily come as a surprise to learn that the Ford Fiesta is also a popular target for thieves, and in fact, we’ve seen more than one mass theft epidemic strike various UK towns in recent years. Now, another has emerged.
According to BBC News, a number of Ford Fiesta models have been stolen in East Yorkshire recently, prompting Humberside Police to ask owners to stay vigilant and even “fit a tracker or tracking device” to their vehicles. That includes Gareth Cartwright from Bridlington, whose Fiesta was stolen recently. Cartwright was told by police that “several other Fiestas had gone missing and there was a big search on.” Thankfully, the teacher’s car was recovered, but that hasn’t been the case for many others who have faced the same problem.
Somewhat shockingly, data shows that 5,979 Fiestas were stolen in the 12 months leading up to March 2023, which is 53 percent higher than the same period a year prior. It’s unclear why thieves continue to target the Ford Fiesta, but some theorize that a need for affordable replacement parts is fueling the trend.
“Because it’s been so popular for so many years, unsurprisingly, more Fiestas get involved in car accidents and have breakdowns that need repairs,” said Stuart Masson, editor of The Car Expert. “So there is a black market, particularly as times are getting tougher and people have less money to spend. Vehicles are being stolen and broken up because there are particular parts that thieves are looking for that they can sell through online marketplaces, car boot sales, or selling to body shops.”
Comments
We shouldn’t necessarily use theft as a popularity data point, but I guess we can see if the Puma runs into similar issues.
Fiesta top selling car in the UK for 15 years.
Fiesta top stolen car in UK.
Genius!!
Fiesta production stopped to so new electric car (thats selling very poorly) can be built.
Genius!!
Remember when the Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme and Honda Accord were the two most-frequently stolen used cars in the U. S.? History repeats itself with the Fiesta!