THE cost of car crime in the North-East is the lowest in the country, according to a new study.

The 11th annual Autoglass report shows the typical cost of a smash and grab attack in the region has dropped by £138 to £231, bucking the national trend.

This compares to the national average of £458.83 and is below the hardest hit region, the south-east, which has an average bill of £742.75.

The hardest hit area of the North-East is Teesside, which fell five places in the national hot-spot car crime table to number 26.

Sunderland, in 27th, and Newcastle, in 47th spot, also feature in the table of the country's worst car crime areas.

Faring better are County Durham, at 56th, and Darlington in 75th.

But the region's motorists have been warned against complacency.

Britain's car crime bill has soared by almost 40 per cent to £1.1bn in the last year, but the survey also revealed that North-East drivers have given up the battle against the crooks, with 62 per cent saying there is little or nothing that can be dome to stop them.

Neil Doggett, managing director of Autoglass, said: "While North-East motorists are waving a white flag, car crooks are making almost as much money as the country's most profitable retailer, Tesco, and celebrating another year of record takings."