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Researchers said their findings were “truly shocking”. One groomed offender told them: “My dad got me taking a few cars here and there. Then I went on being on my own, doing cars on my own.”

Another said: “They say car crime is a gateway to serious crime. That’s how it was for me anyway. I’ve done everything, robberies and everything.” A third admitted: “I was about 14 when I fell into drugs and car crime just came hand-in-hand with it.” Adult criminals view car offences as “taking candy from a baby”, according to one youngster involved.

The University of Huddersfield researchers worked with Direct Line as part of the insurer’s Truth about Car Theft campaign.

They found 1,156 under-18s were charged with vehicle theft in 2019-2021. The youngest arrested was 10, the youngest prosecuted was 11.

Figures were kept low by pandemic travel restrictions but are likely to be on the increase again, the study suggests. The notion of car theft as a gateway crime is supported by West Yorkshire Police data.

It shows 765 under-18s were charged with other offences between 2019 and 2022 having previously been prosecuted for vehicle theft.

Professor of Criminology Rachel Armitage, who worked on the study, said: “That children as young as 12 are being charged with vehicle theft is truly shocking. Children should be focusing on school and having fun, they should be protected from older family members or associates seeking to lead them into a life of crime.”

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