The number of cars stolen in Glasgow has risen by more than a fifth in the space of a year.

New crime figures have revealed 18 motors a week are stolen in the city, a figure that’s increased by 25% in the space of five years.

The Scottish Government data revealed there were 956 police reports of car theft in the year to September, compared to 781 the previous year and 763 in 2018/19.

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It means nearly one in five of Scotland’s car thefts take place in Glasgow, and the one-year rise is significantly higher than the 13% increase seen nationwide.

Across Scotland, there were 5438 reports of car theft last year.

Annie Wells, Glasgow Conservative MSP, said a reduction in police numbers meant vehicle owners would be at even greater risk going forward.

In the past three years, the number of community officers in Glasgow has fallen by 2.5%, with fears of further cuts to come.

Wells said: “It’s alarming to see the sheer number of car thefts that have taken place across the last year.

“The problem is clearly getting worse and, when trends like this appear, it makes it obvious that we need more police officers, not fewer.

“Car owners across the city live in fear that their car will be taken from outside their home.

“What’s more, I’ve spoken to a number of constituents over the last year who have had their home broken into or know someone who has, with the criminals’ sole intention being to find keys inside in order to steal a car.

“These statistics also tell us that the scale of the problem in Glasgow is worse than in most parts of the country.

“Cars may be a commodity, but having them stolen can be a terrifying and expensive experience for victims.”