Range Rovers are wonderful cars and it can be a huge pleasure to own and drive one. But this very fact can make them a major target for criminals, often coming in the form of organised gangs.

That doesn’t mean you are bound to have yours stolen and like any vehicle owner there are steps you can take to increase security, especially when it is in the garage at home. Nonetheless, the risk is a real one and needs to be taken very seriously.

Indeed, Range Rover itself has just announced a series of measures aimed at protecting the vehicles against organised crime, including spending over £1 million on supporting police actions. This includes intercepting attempts to smuggle vehicles out of the country in shipping crates, intelligence sharing and support for “police operations in hotspots”.

All this may help, but what if your Range Rover is stolen but then recovered thanks to this supported police work? Ideally, it should be undamaged, but you will be lucky if that is the case, especially if any force has been used in the act, or an accident has occurred during the getaway.  

Engine damage is among the problems that may occur, especially if the engine has been neglected while the vehicle has been hidden away. After all, it will be professional thieves, not trained mechanics, who have taken it.

Thankfully, with some spare parts and, if needed, a replacement engine, your vehicle can soon be looking as good as new and back on the road in no time, with your hands back on the wheel.

Some tabloid newspapers have printed sensational stories about Land Rover and Range Rover thefts, including one featuring a picture of a Land Rover chained to a tree in London.

Things are not as bad as that for most owners, but nor is the threat a small one. However, what you can be sure of is that if your vehicle is stolen but then recovered, it is very unlikely that any damage it incurs will be beyond repair.