Which cities have the most car thefts?

What city has the most stolen cars?

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, California, has the most car thefts of any CBSA (metropolitan area) in the U.S. In 2025, 53,911 cars were stolen there.

New York-Newark-Jersey City, New York/New Jersey, is in the No. 2 spot with 27,138 cars stolen. That's just over half the number of vehicles stolen in the No. 1 area.

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, Illinois/Indiana, landed at No. 3 by volume at 24,299.

Rounding out the top five are Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, Texas, and San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, California.

The Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA CBSA saw the biggest decrease in car thefts at 59.51% from 2023 to 2025.

Top 10 metro areas for car theft

These metro areas, or CBSAs as defined by the NICB, had the most stolen cars in 2025.

Metropolitan areas (CBSAs) with the most car thefts in 2025 vs. 2023
Rank	CBSA	2023 thefts	2025 thefts	% Change 2023-2025
1	Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	72,460	53,911	-25.6%
2	New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ	33,596	27,138	-19.22%
3	Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN	36,272	24,299	-33.01%
4	Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX*	35,119	23,659	-32.63%
5	San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA*	40,977	22,197	-45.83%
6	Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	34,119	21,638	-36.58%
7	Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD	23,339	19,117	-18.09%
8	Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	21,119	15,204	-28.01%
9	Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA**	-	14,111	-
10	Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA	31,328	12,684	-59.51%

*CBSA changes from 2023-2025: Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont

**Not top ten in 2023

What state has the most stolen cars?

California had the most cars stolen in 2025 at 136,988, accounting for almost 21% of all cars stolen nationwide. Texas was second at 75,269 and Illinois came in third at 28,327. A larger population means more vehicles and correlates with more theft, a large part of the reason California tops the list.

Top 10 states for stolen vehicles in 2025
Rank	State	2025 thefts
1	California	136,988
2	Texas	75,269
3	Illinois	28,327
4	Florida	27,142
5	New York	24,206
6	Ohio	20,628
7	Pennsylvania	20,568
8	North Carolina	20,395
9	Washington	18,039
10	Missouri	17,496

People ask

How many cars are stolen in the U.S. each year?

In 2025, 659,880 vehicles were reported stolen, down 23% from 850,708 in 2024 and 35.4% from 2023, when the total was 1,020,729.

Top 10 most stolen cars

The most stolen car in 2025 was the Hyundai Elantra for the second year in a row, followed by the Honda Accord and the Hyundai Sonata.

Here are the 10 most commonly stolen vehicles in 2025, according to The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB):

Top 10 most stolen vehicles in 2025
Rank	Vehicle make/model	2025 total thefts
1	Hyundai Elantra	21,732
2	Honda Accord	17,797
3	Hyundai Sonata	17,687
4	Chevrolet Silverado 1500	16,764
5	Honda Civic	12,725
6	Kia Optima	11,521
7	Ford F150	10,102
8	Toyota Camry	9,833
9	Honda CR-V	9,809
10	Nissan Altima	8,445

How to prevent car theft

To prevent car theft, the NICB recommends keeping your car secured with windows up and doors locked, parking in a well-lit area, never leaving your car running and using anti-theft technology.

Remove your keys, roll up the windows, lock the doors and park in well-lit areas.
Never leave your car running while unattended
Use anti-theft technology such as steering wheel locks, audible alarms and kill switches
Install a GPS tracker

What should you do if your car is stolen?

If you think your car was stolen, check to ensure it was not towed, then call the police to file a report. Contact your insurance company to file a claimAn insurance claim is a request you make to your insurance company for coverage after your car is damaged or you have an accident. You can file a claim online, by phone, or in writing..

Make sure it was stolen and not towed; check for any no-parking signs or indications that it may have been illegally parked
Call the police to report the theft
Call your insurance company to open a claim
Provide the insurance company with the police report number and any other information required

FAQ: Car theft

Does car insurance cover

Yes, car insurance covers car theft if you carry comprehensive coverage. Comprehensice is not part of a state minimum policy, and liability-only car insurance doesn't cover the theft of your vehicle.

How many stolen cars are recovered?

According to the NICB data, 85% of stolen vehicles are recovered. Of those, 34% are recovered within 24 hours, and 45% within two days.

How does a stolen car affect insurance rates?

A claim for a stolen car will raise your rates, but the severity of the increase will depend on your specific insurance company. Insurance companies have proprietary surchargeAn increase in your auto insurance premium due to an at-fault accident or a moving violation. Learn more about how a surcharge affects your auto insurance premiums. schedules, which will determine your rate increase after an issue such as a speeding ticket, an accident or a claim for car theft.

Does living in one of the cities with the highest car theft rate affect my car insurance rates?

Yes, if you live in a high-crime area, you will pay more for car insurance because it increases the chances of a theft claim. Theft statistics are among the factors insurance companies use when calculating rates.