Six years ago, ministers...

Six years ago, ministers pledged to cut vehicle offences by 30 per cent by 2004. To achieve that, they launched the Vehicle Crime Reduction Action Team (VCRAT), in a bid to boost public awareness about security, tighten registration procedures and crack down on thieves.

The good news is it"s worked. But the bad news - according to one insurance expert - is that the police will now concentrate on other matters, leaving car criminals free to wreak havoc again.

Phil Swift, boss of Kent-based Claims Management and Adjusting, told us: "There"s a good chance VCRAT will be disbanded. This, along with the fact that police resources will be allocated elsewhere, could see offences rise again."

The Home Office said VCRAT"s future is uncertain after July 2005. "That"s when the final crime figures for 2004 will be published, and the completion of a target period is a good time to review whether VCRAT should continue," explained a spokeswoman.

She added individual police forces set their own targets and were free to choose how to achieve them. Meanwhile, if your car is stolen, there"s less chance than ever of it being recovered. The latest British Crime Statistics reveal an estimated 60 per cent of the 315,000 vehicles taken in 2001 were returned to their owners.

But 4,000 more cars remained missing in 2002, and Swift reckons recovery rates will fall further. "This is because a larger proportion of models are being taken by professional thieves," he said.