'Rampant' rise in thefts from Staffordshire car rental company

Tony Moore said each theft cost them £10,000

The co-owner of a car hire company said a "rampant increase" in thefts had made him consider quitting the business.

Tony Moore, 73, from Afford Rent-A-Car, in Staffordshire, said more than 20 vehicles had been stolen or written off in a year.

He said each incident had cost the business £10,000.

Staffordshire Police said vehicle crime remained a priority for its local policing teams and officers have been patrolling hotspot areas.

Mr Moore said there was an increase in thefts through summer and autumn and, on one day in November, they realised seven of the fleet had been taken.

Staffordshire Police had been "unable to help", he added.

Afford rent-a-car leases about 1,000 cars, vans and trailers over two sites

"I don't know what else to do, we have top security on site, CCTV, everything, we get proof of ID but it appears that thieves are getting someone else to hire the vehicles first before taking them off-site," he added.

The company leases about 1,000 cars, vans and trailers across two sites in Stafford and Stoke-on-Trent.

Mr Moore and his co-owner Tony Dobson said every vehicle was fitted with a tracking device and, in some cases, they had been able to trace the vehicle themselves.

The pair said they had driven to Birmingham and discovered a car had been taken to a suspected "chop-shop", which was later recovered with help from West Midlands Police.

'Ripped off'

The owners said the majority of alleged thefts had occurred after the vehicle had been officially signed out by a customer.

"It's making us ask… is it worthwhile continuing the business? We're getting ripped off left right and centre," Mr Moore said.

Mr Moore is also concerned his insurance premium will rocket in price, or he will be denied insurance altogether.

"These thefts are as rampant now as crash-for-cash incidents were 10 years ago," he said.

Vehicle crime remained a priority for Staffordshire Police and it was working with neighbouring forces on the issue, a spokesperson for the force said.

"We know that there's lots more to be done in this area and we're continuing to investigate new reports and work alongside specialist units and teams to best police our roads on a 24/7 basis," they added.