Short answer: yes, as a deterrent. No lock makes a car impossible to steal, but a lock a thief can see from the pavement changes which car they pick. Below is what the 2025 theft figures show, what UK police forces actually advise, where steering locks fall short, and how to pick one you will use every time you park.
How many cars are being stolen
In the UK, 54,830 vehicles were reported stolen in 2025, according to DVLA figures obtained by What Car? under a Freedom of Information request. That is down from 61,343 the year before, which is still around 150 cars a day.
In the US, the National Insurance Crime Bureau counted 659,880 vehicle thefts in 2025, a 23% fall on 2024 (Insurance Journal, March 2026). The Hyundai Elantra was the most stolen vehicle in the country, with 21,732 taken.
Falling totals are good news. They do not help much if yours is one of the 150 a day.
What the police say about steering locks
UK police forces still recommend them, and they recommend them for the reason that matters: visibility.
- West Midlands Police have urged drivers to use "visible deterrents such as steering wheel locks", and their crime reduction team said a steering lock "can make a huge difference" (West Midlands PCC).
- Lancashire Police vehicle security advice says physical products such as a steering wheel lock "still act as a good deterrent", alongside keeping keyless fobs in a signal-blocking wallet (Lancashire Police advice, 2024).
- What Car?'s 2026 theft report makes the same point: even simple deterrents such as steering wheel locks make a car less appealing to thieves.
In the US, Hyundai and Kia handed out tens of thousands of free steering wheel locks through police departments during the theft wave on their 2011 to 2022 models, and the class action settlement lets owners who cannot get the software fix claim up to $300 back for an anti-theft device such as a steering lock (CBS News). Manufacturers do not give away products they think are useless.
Why a steering lock works, and when it does not
Most car theft is a decision made in seconds. A thief walking a street or a car park is looking for the easiest car, not a particular car. A steering lock works in three ways:
- It is seen. A lock across the wheel shows through the windscreen. The thief now knows this car needs extra tools and extra minutes.
- It holds the part they have to use. Keyless relay attacks and OBD key programming defeat the car's electronics. They do nothing to a mechanical lock on the wheel. A car that starts but cannot be steered still cannot be driven away.
- It costs them time. Every extra minute next to a car is a minute someone can see them.
Where steering locks fall short, honestly:
- Any lock can be cut. A determined thief with bolt cutters, a grinder or a saw can get through a bar, a cable, or the steering wheel rim itself. A lock raises the cost of your car. It does not make it untouchable.
- A lock in the boot protects nothing. The most common failure is not a thief defeating the lock. It is the owner not fitting it, because it is heavy, awkward and takes a minute.
- Most steering locks do not stop airbag theft. Bar and cable locks hold the rim, not the hub. If airbag theft is common where you park, only a full cover lock that encloses the hub protects it.
- It does not stop a break-in. A lock protects the car from being driven away. It does not protect a laptop on the back seat.
The three types of steering lock
| Type | How it works | Strength | Weakness |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bar lock (the classic "club") | A rigid bar hooks across the wheel and sticks out so the wheel cannot turn a full circle | Cheap, widely recognised | Long and awkward to store, so it tends to live in the boot. Some designs can be removed by cutting the rim |
| Full cover lock (Disklok style) | A metal disc encloses the whole wheel and spins freely if turned | Covers the airbag hub, very visible | Heavy, bulky, slow to fit, often the most expensive |
| Seatbelt cable lock | A steel cable loops round the wheel and the lock body clicks into the seatbelt buckle | Fits in seconds, coils into a door pocket, so it gets used on every stop | Holds the rim, not the hub. Needs a seatbelt buckle you can reach from the driver seat |
We compare the seatbelt type in detail in our guide to the seatbelt steering wheel lock.
How to choose one you will actually use
The best steering lock is the one on the wheel tonight. Three questions decide it:
- Will you fit it every single time? If it takes longer than shutting the door, be honest with yourself about how often it will go on. Speed is a security feature.
- Can a thief see it from outside? Bright colours and a cable or bar across the wheel matter more than a hidden mechanism nobody notices.
- Where will it live? A lock stored in the cabin goes on. A lock stored in the boot gets forgotten.
If your insurer asks for a specific approved device, check the policy wording before buying any lock.
Layer it with the basics
A steering lock is one layer. The others cost little and close the gaps it leaves:
- Keep keyless fobs in a signal-blocking case at home, away from doors and windows. Our guide to keyless car theft prevention explains why.
- Keep the lock's key separate from your car key, as West Midlands Police advise.
- Park in light, close to the house or in view of a camera.
- Keep the car's software up to date. On some models the manufacturer has issued security updates.
The BEAM Lab Steering Wheel Lock
We built ours around the one problem every other lock has: people stop using it. A 5 mm steel cable in a black braided sleeve loops round the wheel, and the lock body clicks into the seatbelt buckle. The wheel cannot turn and the buckle cannot release without the key. It takes about three seconds, coils into the door pocket, and the orange cable ends are easy to see from outside. Three keys come in the box, and it has a 30-day money-back guarantee even if you have used it every day.
Common questions
Do steering wheel locks actually prevent theft?
They reduce the chance your car is chosen. Opportunistic thieves pick the easiest car, and a visible lock tells them yours is not it. A professional thief targeting your specific car can still cut through, which is why police advise layering a lock with other measures.
Do steering wheel locks stop keyless relay theft?
They stop the car being driven away after a relay attack opens and starts it, because the electronics trick does nothing to a mechanical lock. Blocking the fob signal at home stops the attack happening at all. Use both.
Do steering wheel locks damage the steering wheel?
A well made lock should not. Look for padding or a sleeve where the lock touches the rim. Ours uses a braided sleeve over the steel cable so it sits against the wheel without marking it.
Do steering wheel locks fit all cars?
Most, not all. Bar and full cover locks depend on wheel size and shape. A seatbelt lock needs a buckle within reach of the driver seat and a wheel the cable can loop through. Check before you buy, and buy from someone who takes it back if it does not fit.
Do steering wheel locks prevent airbag theft?
Bar and cable locks do not, because they hold the rim and leave the centre exposed. A full cover lock that encloses the hub does.
Are steering wheel locks worth it in 2026?
For a car parked on the street or a drive, yes. Car theft has shifted towards electronic methods, and a mechanical lock is one of the few things those methods cannot get past quietly.