Riskiest towns to park in - where your car is mostly likely to get stolen

Drivers leaving their cars in East London are the most likely to fall victim to car theft, figures show, with Ilford and Romford topping a list of the riskiest regions.

That's according to a report on 5.9 million car insurance quotes - that looked at the locations of accident claims in the past five years.

It found 'IG' to be the riskiest postcode, followed by RM in Romford, Essex with Birmingham in third place.

Kirkwall, the largest town in the Orkney Islands in Scotland, was uncovered as the safest location, with the just 0.3 thefts for every 1000 quotes.

Fellow Scottish locations - the Outer Hebrides, Inverness, Galashiels and Dumfries - also featured in the safest locations in MoneySuperMarket's research.

London is riskiest if you're leaving your car (Getty)

"When it comes to car thieves, London is clearly the worst area for offences, with postcodes from the capital taking the top two spots - and featuring three times in the top 10," Rachel Wait, at MoneySuperMarket, said.

“Having the right level of insurance is key to minimising any cost, should your car get stolen. However, prevention is always better than cure. There are simple steps – like parking your car off the road and not leaving high value items on display – that can go some way towards preventing theft.

"Protecting your no claims discount will prevent any nasty hikes to your premium. If you do have to make a claim after a theft, make sure you shop around at your next renewal. Moving to a different insurer could save you up to £245 on your annual bills."

Top 10 most targeted postcodes for car theft

1. Ilford - IG

2. Romford - RM

3. Birmingham - B

4. Halifax - HX

5. Liverpool - L

6. Southend-on-Sea - SS

7. Stockport - SK

8. Dudley - DY

9. London E - E

10. Bradford - BD

Where you're least likely to have your car stolen

1. Kirkwall - KW

2. Outer Hebrides - HS

3. Inverness - IV

4. Isle of Man - IM

5. Galashiels - TD

6. Dumfries - DG

7. Perth - PH

8. Exeter - EX

9. Dorchester - DT

10. Dundee - DD

Protect your car from theft

Don't be a victim (Getty)

Here are MoneySupermarket's tips to keeping your car safe from theft:

1. Unsurprisingly, the easiest way to steal a car is by getting hold of the keys, so make sure they’re not easily accessible and avoid leaving them near your front door. 

2. If you’re able to, parking off road or in a garage can make it harder for criminals to steal your vehicle. Putting the car in the garage (if you’ve got one) can also help you save money on your car insurance.

3. Park in well-lit areas and if your car is on an incline, turn your wheels towards the curb to make it harder for it to be towed by criminals.

4. A large portion of car thefts are opportunistic, so make sure your car is fitted with an alarm and no valuables are in view. 

5. Getting windows made from security glass or Enhanced Protection Glazing, which are designed to prevent ‘smash and grab’ attacks, can protect your vehicle against damage. 

6. Additional security options, such as tracking devices and steering wheel locks, can act as good deterrents and methods to trace missing vehicles, minimising damage and increasing the chance of recovery.