Motorists driving Land Rover Defenders have been warned they could be pulled over by police in a bid to trace thieves.

Staffordshire Police are targeting the model as part of Operation Tempran, a sting aimed at catching criminals who steal the sought-after vehicle to sell on or for parts.

A police spokesman said: "Officers are stopping and checking Land Rover Defenders across the force area and we will continue to do so.

"It is part of an operation to tackle thieves who steal these vehicles, sell them on or strip them for parts to be sold on the internet."

The number of Land Rover Defender thefts has increased across the country in recent years after the production of the model stopped in January, 2016. It is understood that thieves are targeting the vehicles for their parts.

Defenders in good condition can fetch upwards of £30,000.

The theft of Land Rover Defenders has increased
The theft of Land Rover Defenders has increased

The basic Land Rover design was perfected in the 1940s but the Defender model was launched in the 1980s. They are known for their tough, rugged design and ability to go off-road in rural areas.

After a continuous run of 67 years, production of the vehicle ended on January 29, 2016 when the last Land Rover Defender rolled off the production line.

Anyone with any information about the theft of a Land Rover Defender vehicle in Staffordshire should call the police on 101.

Below are some simple things that you can do to avoid becoming a victim of car theft, according to police:

  • Don't leave your keys in the vehicle unattended. This includes on winter mornings while "warming up" the vehicle. Your insurance company is unlikely to compensate you if your car is stolen in this situation.
  • Keep your keys out of reach and out of sight when at home. They are vulnerable to being snatched in sneak-in burglaries. Keys hung up or placed near front doors could be "fished" using a hook and wire fed through a letterbox.
  • Keep your keys secure when out and about.
  • Keep spare keys secure and safe at all times. Consider giving it to a friend or relative for safe keeping, especially if you are going away.
  • When using remote locking key fobs check for visible or audible signals that your vehicle locked when you pressed the button.
  • Ensure that you close your windows before you leave your vehicle.
  • Use your garage if you have one.
  • On private driveways, keep trees and shrubs maintained so you and your neighbours can see the vehicle from your properties.
  • Consider dusk till dawn lighting to illuminate the area.
  • When parking on a street, pick a well-lit and populated area.

Facts you didn't know about Land Rovers:

The first Land Rover had its steering wheel in the middle

Modelled after the US-made Jeeps from the Second World War, the original Land Rover was designed by Rover engineer Maurice Wilks, who owned a farm in Wales.

Conceived as an agricultural vehicle, Wilks decided to keep its layout simple and more tractor-like by putting the steering wheel in the middle.

It also meant that Rover could dodge the nuisance of building two different versions of the same vehicle for left- and right-hand drive markets.

The first Range Rovers were actually known as 'Velars'

Before the Range Rover entered full production, the first 25 pre-production models were instead badged as the Velar, in a bid to confuse the public so they wouldn't speculate about the car.

The top-secret development versions are now in fact extremely sought after, with one sold for more than £30,000 at auction back in 2013.

Land Rover gave vehicles to students to race around the world

In the mid-1950s, Land Rover used to provide vehicles for Oxbridge students to drive across full continents, all in the name of a good education.

Land Rover provided Series I models to teams of students from Oxford and Cambridge for two expeditions, one which saw the teams compete against the clock to make it Cape Town and back, and a race from London to Singapore.

Amazingly, the genesis of the races came as the result of a bet between students David Waters and Adrian Cowell in a Hong Kong bar, and spiralled into a 1956 expedition that was even broadcast on the BBC.

You used to be able to buy a Land Rover with tank tracks

Invented by a Scotsman James A. Cuthbertson, who needed his Land Rover to be able to cross the Highlands without sinking into the soggy ground, the Series II Cuthbertson is one of the strangest but coolest Land Rover variants ever made.

Kitted out with four sets of tank tracks instead of traditional tyres, the Cuthbertson was able to go further in adverse conditions than any other Land Rover model and eventually became a factory option in the late 1950s.

Land Rover made the first monster truck

The British Forestry Commission demanded that Land Rover create a road-going vehicle that could tackle even the deepest puddles.

The company happily obliged, bolting on four tractor tyres and beefed-up axles, thereby creating the first monster truck nearly 30 years before the Americans would popularise the format.