Drivers might want to think again when parking at Haslemere station after a recent investigation by consumer champion, What Car?, found it was the second worst station in the country for car theft, tying with Hildenborough in Kent and Manningtree in Essex.

The investigation exposed a seven per cent surge in car thefts from UK train station car parks in 2023 compared to the previous year. 

A Freedom of Information request to the British Transport Police revealed that 301 vehicles were stolen between January and mid-November last year, so almost a car a day was stolen during that period.

Earlier this year the DVLA revealed there were 61,106 cars reported stolen in 2022 – 26% more than in 2021. The most popular model among car thieves was the Ford Fiesta, followed by the Range Rover and the Ford Focus.