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.) 72,460 cars were stolen there in 2023.
San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, California, is in the No. 2 spot with 40,977 cars stolen. These two areas account for a large percentage of California's 208,668 stolen vehicles in 2023.
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, portions of which are in Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin, landed at No. 3 by volume at 36,272.
Rounding out the top five are two CSBAs in Texas: Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, Texas, and Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, Texas. Meanwhile, Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, Colorado, dropped down the list from third to seventh with a 22% decrease in thefts.
The full 2024 report, detailing thefts by city, has not be released.
Top 10 metro areas for car theft
These metro areas, or CBSAs as defined by the NICB, had the most stolen cars in 2023.
| Rank | CBSA | 2023 thefts | % Change 2022-2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 72,460 | -0.5% |
| 2 | San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA | 40,977 | 28% |
| 3 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI | 36,272 | 9% |
| 4 | Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | 35,119 | 7% |
| 5 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 34,119 | 13% |
| 6 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | 33,596 | 6% |
| 7 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 31,328 | 2% |
| 8 | Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO | 24,489 | -22% |
| 9 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 21,119 | 52% |
| 10 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 23,339 | 19% |
What state has the most stolen cars?
Washington, D.C., which is included among the list of states here, was No. 1 for car theft in 2024. California and New Mexico took second and third place.
See the full list of the top five states for vehicle theft below.
| Rank | State | 2024 theft rate* | 2023 theft rate* |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington, D.C. | 842.40 | 1,149.71 |
| 2 | California | 463.21 | 534.49 |
| 3 | New Mexico | 458.24 | 489.67 |
| 4 | Colorado | 430.24 | 554.44 |
| 5 | Nevada | 394.42 | 572.70 |
*theft rate per 100,000 residents
People ask
How many cars are stolen in the U.S. each year?
In 2024, 850,708 cars were reported stolen, a drop of 17% from 2023, when the total was 1,020,729. Over the past five years, the average number of cars stolen was 938,623.
Top 5 most stolen cars
Now that you know which cities have the most car theft, let's look at the vehicles that car thieves are most likely to steal.
The most stolen car in 2024 was the Hyundai Elantra, followed by the Hyundai Sonata for the second year in a row.
Here are the five most commonly stolen vehicles in 2024, according to The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB):
| Rank | Vehicle make/model | 2024 total thefts |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hyundai Elantra | 31,712 |
| 2 | Hyundai Sonata | 26,720 |
| 3 | Chevrolet Silverado 1500 | 21,666 |
| 4 | Honda Accord | 18,539 |
| 5 | Kia Optima | 17,493 |
What are the safest cities for car theft?
The NICB 2024 car theft data has not been released, but 2023 data indicated that the following are the cities with the least car theft, listed by metro area with the least thefts first:
| Rank | Metro area | Car theft rate, 2023* |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI | 0 |
| 2 | State College, PA | 17.67 |
| 3 | Gettysburg, PA | 26.41 |
| 4 | Barnstable town, MA | 29.26 |
| 5 | Glenn Falls, NY | 30.81 |
| 6 | Watertown-Fort Drum, NY | 34.29 |
| 7 | Chambersburg-Waynesboro, PA | 34.42 |
| 8 | Midland. MI | 34.66 |
| 9 | Bloomsburg-Berwick, PA | 38.55 |
| 10 | Logan, UT-ID | 40.55 |
*Per 100,000 population
This table includes only cities on the mainland, Hawaii and Alaska and excludes U.S. territories.
How to prevent car theft
The NICB offers a four-pronged approach to preventing thefts:
- Remove your keys, roll up the windows, lock the doors and park in well-lit areas.
- Deploy a visible or audible device warning that your car is protected – a steering-wheel lock or an audible alarm.
- Install an immobilizing device that keeps thieves from starting the car – smart keys, kill switches, fuse cut-offs and fuel-pump disablers.
- Utilize devices that track and recover a stolen car, such as onboard telematics systems.
“These rankings highlight the persistent threat of vehicle theft across the country. NICB works with law enforcement agencies and industry partners to deploy advanced technologies and strategies to combat vehicle theft from organized criminal networks and individuals. Even as we work to deter crime, it is crucial for owners to remain vigilant and take proactive measures to protect their vehicles," NICB President and CEO David J. Glawe said in a press release.
What should you do if your car is stolen in one of these cities?
Regardless of where you live or what type of car you drive, it’s important to know what to do if your car is stolen.
- 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
Car insurance and car theft
You’ll need comprehensive coverage for your car insurance to cover a stolen car. If you have a loan or lease on your vehicle, your lender will require you to carry full coverage, including comprehensive.
Comprehensive is a relatively small part of most drivers' premiums and will pay out the actual cash valueActual Cash Value (ACV) is the current market value of your car, considering depreciation. It's the amount your insurance will pay if your car is totaled or stolen. of your car if it's stolen. This optional coverage comes with a deductibleThe deductible is the amount you pay out of pocket for a covered loss when you file a claim., the portion you pay on 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. before insurance kicks in to cover the balance. Deductibles vary, but $500 is a common amount.
FAQ: Highest car theft cities
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?
In most cases, a stolen car claim on your policy 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?
Insurance companies consider a variety of factors when calculating a car insurance premium. These factors include not only your driving record and the type of vehicle you are driving but also where you live and where your vehicle is stored.
If you live in a high-crime area, you will pay more for car insurance. In most cases, drivers in major urban areas will pay more for coverage than drivers in rural areas. Statistics show that more car accidents and thefts occur in cities.
Finally, you will pay more for coverage if your vehicle spends the night parked on the street instead of in a garage. All of these location factors will impact your car insurance rates.
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