Land Rover Defenders across the south west are being targeted by thieves.

Last year theft of the iconic vehicles rose by 34 per cent and that is expected to rise again this year.

Stephen Murgatroyd of St Agnes in Cornwall has fallen victim.

Thieves managed to bypass an alarm and steering lock to steal his Defender from the driveway, before using it in an attempted cashpoint raid.

They took it in the early hours without alerting the 65-year-old, or his neighbours, and he only found out the vehicle had gone when a policeman friend rang him to say it had been discovered elsewhere.

“When he phoned that morning, he asked me where my Defender was and I told him it was on the driveway. He said it can’t be, as I’m looking at it while I’m talking to you,” said Stephen.

“Where I usually park, it would have been hidden by trees, but I had left it further down the driveway as I had been painting the house that week, so the thieves would have seen it from the road.

“I couldn’t believe it. I don’t know how they managed to do it without disturbing us or any of our neighbours.”

Stephen's friend told him that it wasn’t the first to be taken and there had been other attempted thefts of Defenders on the same night.

After his Defender was later captured on CCTV when it was used in the attempted cashpoint raid in a nearby seaside town, the thieves dumped it.

While Stephen was pleased to have the vehicle back and get it repaired, the thieves had already dealt him a further blow.

During a walk with his wife and daughter just hours after the theft, Stephen found his tool box and other possessions from the Land Rover dumped in a hedge, just 400 yards from his house.

Stephen added: “That was what hurt me more than anything. We were burgled a number of years ago and that same emotion came back. It’s very unpleasant and can have such an impact on your life, but the thieves don’t think about that.”

The cost of Defender theft reported to NFU Mutual has rocketed by 87 per cent, with £2.6m in cars and parts being stolen from countryside communities and businesses.

DC Chris Piggott of National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service (NaVCIS) said: “We are particularly concerned that the older Land Rover Defender models, the workhorses which are so important to farmers’ everyday activity, are at risk because of a lack of modern security systems.

“Owners should therefore fortify their vehicles as much as possible, using a combination of measures such as immobilisers, tracking devices and pedal and steering wheel locks.

“It’s also common to see vehicles stripped for parts in situ, but good site security and simple, cost effective measures can make life difficult enough for thieves for them to abandon their attempts.”

NFU Mutual works closely with NaVCIS. Rebecca Davidson, rural affairs specialist at NFU Mutual, said: “From trusted farm vehicles to coveted collectors’ pieces, Defenders have universal appeal.

"With older models retaining their vintage value and newer used cars soaring in price, thieves are scouring the countryside for Land Rovers, as well as dismantling them for parts.

"Prevention is best wherever possible, so we’re urging the rural community to take steps to protect their vehicles.”

NFU Mutual’s top tips for securing classic Land Rover Defenders:

• Keep the vehicle locked at all times when not in use

• Fit an accredited alarm for security and a tracking device to locate your vehicle if stolen

• Fit a mechanical immobiliser such as a steering wheel or pedal lock

• Consider marking component parts using a forensic marking solution

• Keep the vehicle in a lockable building if possible or park in well-lit areas

• Have the vehicle identification number etched on windows

• Consider fitting a hidden battery isolation or a fuel cut-off switch

• Take photographs of unusual features, modifications, damage or repairs which could aid identification if stolen

• Remove valuables from the vehicle

• Don’t share information on social media that could indicate where Land Rovers are kept

• For modern vehicles, keep electronic keys in a faraday pocket or box at night