Facts + Statistics: Auto theft (2024)

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Facts + Statistics: Auto theft? ›

According to the latest National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) report, the Hyundai Elantra is the most stolen car in America, with 48,445 thefts in 2023. This shift breaks the long-standing trend of full-size pickups holding the top spot.

According to the latest National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) report, the Hyundai Elantra is the most stolen car in America, with 48,445 thefts in 2023. This shift breaks the long-standing trend of full-size pickups holding the top spot.

In 2022, Colorado had the highest rate of motor vehicle theft in the United States, with 785.7 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. Washington, the District of Columbia, Oregon, and New Mexico rounded out the top five states for motor vehicle theft in that year.

The nation saw a steady increase of around 25% in motor vehicle thefts from 2019 to 2022, with the total number of annual thefts breaking 1 million in 2022.

Midsize luxury SUVs and electric vehicles have the lowest theft rates. Tesla Model 3 and Model Y have the lowest theft rates overall. Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat has the highest theft rate.

Car thieves tend to steer clear of highly-visible areas, especially if there are security cameras or nosy neighbors around. This is especially important at night between 2 and 5 a.m. Since most people are asleep, that's the most common time for cars to be stolen.

What city has the most stolen cars? Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, California is the city with the most car thefts (or rather the CBSA, a metro area defined by the NICB.)

Using those parameters, a total of 21,711 SUVs/CUVs were reported stolen during the period. The top five makes and models stolen during the period were: Ford Escape (1,421), Ford Edge (1,140), Ford Explorer (958), Jeep Grand Cherokee (912) and the Kia Sorento (725).

What makes a car more likely to be stolen? ›

Older models and some basic versions often lack modern security features, making them easier targets. Keyless entry systems, while convenient, can be hacked, and immobilizers may sometimes fail to deter thieves. Stolen keys, cyber attacks, and quick resale opportunities also contribute to car theft.

The Ford Fiesta holds the unwanted title of being the most stolen car, with almost 6,000 being taken last year, according to the DVLA. Telegraph Money delves into why keyless cars are an easy target, and the eight steps you can take to beef up security on your vehicle.

Kia and Hyundai models now hold the top three spots in a 2023 ranking of stolen vehicles, according to a Thursday report from the National Insurance Crime Bureau, a not-for-profit organization that partners with member insurance companies to combat insurance fraud and theft.

There's an international appetite for these models, and organized crime networks are all too happy to appease the masses. They're getting more and more efficient at packing up stolen vehicles in cargo containers and shipping them out of the ports in Toronto and Montreal.

Don't leave valuables in your car. That sounds like "common sense", but drivers/passengers do leave items of value in plain view every day. If you leave valuable items visible in your car, your car is automatically a target. Thieves are targeting purses, laptops, GPS units and MP3 players, which are easily sold.

Lexus, Land Rover and Fords are the most stolen cars – is your car on the list? New data reveals that Ford Fiestas are the most stolen cars in the UK. But in terms of percentages, Toyota and Lexus hybrids top the Top 10 list, followed by the Range Rover Evoque and Sport models.

Hyundai and Kia thefts rose 1,000% between 2020 and 2023, driven by social media posts showing how easy it was to hotwire certain models. I should know, as my own car was stolen this way in 2023. New data on car thefts show that the problem has only gotten worse.

The Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat is the most stolen car in the United States, according to a new report that found the US muscle car is 60 times more likely to be stolen than any other vehicle on the road.