A West Midlands town has been named among the worst car theft hotspots in the country. Total offences for each area were adjusted for population to reveal the areas with the worst car crime rates. London and parts of the West Midlands feature prominently on the list, showing these are the areas where residents are most likely to have their motors nicked. READ MORE: Midlands towns and cities named among worst places to live in the entire country POLL: Do you support a ban on pavement parking? And making it onto the list in 9th place is Smethwick. The Black Country town on the edge of Birmingham has one of the highest car theft rates at 514 per 100,000 vehicles. It was the only Midlands area other than Birmingham to make the top 10. Birmingham was in third place with a crime rate of 557 per 100,000 vehicles. Only Barking and Hayes in London have worse issues with vehicle crime, the data showed. The figures, based on thefts in 2024, have prompted warnings to residents living in these areas to consider beefing up their security to protect their cars. Experts say SUVs and pick-ups are increasingly becoming targets. Get all the latest motoring news sent to your inbox by signing up to our new newsletter here A spokesperson for BigWantsYourCar.com said: "These numbers might look slightly better than 2023 at first glance, but they hide the fact that car theft is becoming increasingly targeted and professional. "Organised crime groups are focusing on towns where they know keyless technology can be exploited quickly and quietly. "For many drivers, especially in these areas, the risk of theft is very real.” “The pattern here is clear: Greater London dominates, with East and South London boroughs heavily overrepresented “But the West Midlands also features prominently. Birmingham and Smethwick are seeing a rise in thefts, particularly of high-demand models like SUVs and pickups.” “If you live in one of these hotspots and drive a keyless model, you need to act now. “We always recommend three things: a Faraday pouch to block your key’s signal, a visible steering wheel lock to deter thieves, and secure parking or CCTV if possible."