New police crackdowns on city centre crime could leave motorist facing an £800m bill, according to a new survey.
The Autoglass annual crime survey has revealed that car thefts are up for first time in a decade. Mobile phones were the number one target for thieves, it said.
Autoglass managing director Ian Carlisle said: "Crackdowns on crime often just move the problem somewhere else. We are concerned that chasing robbers off city centre streets is leading them to target outside homes."
He added: "As thefts from cars have increased, insurers will have seen their claims numbers rise and they must ask themselves what they can do to help motorists reduce their chances of becoming a car crime victim."
The warning comes as it was revealed that four in ten car crimes are committed outside the home, with the average crime costing £340.
