Car crime in middle-class neighbourhoods is rising, figures have revealed, as police say drivers should buy steering wheel locks and Faraday bags to block radio signals because new vehicles are easier to steal.

Research by The Telegraph reveals more than three quarters of investigations into car theft in England and Wales are unsolved and it is new high-tech keyless models being targeted, not older vehicles.

Over 78 per cent of car theft cases end with police failing to identify a suspect, amid claims forces are so stretched they don't have time to properly investigate car theft.

In an interview with the Telegraph, the man in charge of crime prevention for the West Midlands force, Mark Silvester, encouraged people to buy steering wheel locks and Faraday bags to keep their key fobs inside to prevent thieves hacking into their vehicles.

Keyless models, which have become increasingly popular with middle-class families, provide criminals with a new way of stealing cars by copying the electronic information and conning the car into thinking the key is present, allowing a thief to drive off.