Stealing car headlights becomes a pressing issue in England due to easy consumption and high resale value

Over the past few decades, headlight design has evolved from simple to extremely sophisticated, with many vehicles now equipped with advanced Matrix LED technology and dynamic active features. As a result, the cost for a set of headlights can reach hundreds or even thousands of dollars.

For example, each laser headlight on the BMW 4 Series can cost up to $3,000. Meanwhile, the Matrix LED headlights on the Audi Q7 are priced at around $4,300 per unit. Due to their exposed position, these expensive components have become targets for thieves.

Headlights are one of the high-value exterior accessories of a car (Illustration: Carscoops).

Although stealing a set of headlights can cause some secondary damage, such as tearing the front bumper, fenders, and hood, it is still much quicker than stealing the entire vehicle.

Furthermore, selling parts to auto shops or online buyers is less suspicious.

Like stealing catalytic converters (important components in a vehicle's exhaust system), stealing headlights is clearly another worrying issue, leading to increased insurance premiums.

According to the UK's Office for National Statistics, in the period from April last year to March this year, vehicle vandalism in the country has increased by 2%, from 52,268 to 53,369 cases. This alarming figure includes cases of theft of parts from parked vehicles, such as wheels, tires, headlights, and even some mechanical components.

Tracker, a company in the UK specializing in car tracking and protection solutions, stated that stolen vehicles are now worth even higher than intact vehicles, due to the unprecedented increase in the price of replacement parts.

In just the first half of this year, Tracker and the UK police have dealt with 37 dismantling sites specializing in stolen vehicles for parts sales, a significant increase from the 55 cases they handled throughout the entire year of 2023.