Images by Getty Images; Illustrations by Bankrate
After years of high car theft rates, the latest report from the National Insurance Crimes Bureau (NICB) shows an astonishing event shift. In 2024, the vehicle theft rate fell by 17%.
How often do cars get stolen?
According to NICB’s annual car theft, it rose to 1,020,729 in 2023, but fell 17% in 2024. To put this into perspective, approximately 116 units were stolen per hour in 2023, and 97 units were stolen in 2024.
The FBI tracks vehicle theft rates and demographics. The latest FBI Report Data will be edited until December 2023. Over the past five years, the data is as follows:
- Of the thefts whose ages of offenders were known, 55% of offenders were between 20 and 39 years old.
- Most offenders have unknown or unspecified gender (67.74%), but of the identified offenders, 78% are male compared to 22% of women.
- Most victims of vehicle theft know no criminals. 79% are strangers or unknown.
Where are most cars stolen?
Location is important when it comes to theft of a vehicle. FBI data shows that 35% of stolen vehicles are obtained from the owner’s residence or home. Bankrate writer Dayana Yoshim found this the hard way when her car was stolen several years ago.
As of 2024, California is the state with both general vehicle theft and per capita theft, but including Washington, D.C., the capital is on the list of per capita theft with 842.4 thefts per 100,000 people. Washington, DC has abandoned Colorado. Colorado has been the most theft per capital in the past four years (2020-2023). Western states have historically been a hotspot for car theft, but New England considers the lowest overall rate of car theft across countries like Massachusetts and New Hampshire.
Metro car theft statistics
The top-ranked metropolitan statistical area by theft was Beach Anaheim, Los Angeles, California, with the highest theft rate per 100,000 people in San Francisco, Oakland, California. According to the NICB, 35% of all stolen vehicle reports in 2024 were from the top 10 metro areas in volume.
2024 Top 10 Metro Areas by Vehicle Theft Rate
| Metropolitan Area | Theft rate rank | Theft per 10,000 people | Theft by volume |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco, California Europeans | 1 | 763.66 | 34,876 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | 2 | 714.92 | 9,549 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | 3 | 701.01 | 6,406 |
| Albuquerque, New Mexico | 4 | 668.22 | 6,163 |
| People, co | 5 | 654.58 | 1,109 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | 6 | 600.67 | 13,343 |
| Denver Aurora Centennial, co | 7 | 598.44 | 17,984 |
| Seattle Bellview, Washington | 8 | 527.46 | 21,335 |
| Los Angeles Long Long Beach Anaheim, California | 9 | 520.08 | 66,565 |
| New Haven Malford, Connecticut | 10 | 498.98 | 2,835 |
Hyundai and Kia thefts remain high
Despite recent anti-theft improvements, the Hyundai model tops the 2024 list of most stolen vehicles, triggered by social media trends that touted the lack of immobilizers in some models. Only 26% of Hyundai and KIA vehicles from the 2015 model year were equipped with fixatives, compared to 96% of cars from other manufacturers.
Theft claims against KIA and Hyundai users rose dramatically in 2022 and 2023 when Tiktok users discovered this security surveillance and an explosive auto-theft epidemic.
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Does car insurance cover theft?
Your car insurance handles theft and loss in several different ways. The comprehensive portion of the insurance policy usually covers theft of the vehicle. It also covers repair costs for windows, locks, ignitions, and more. However, you cannot file a theft claim with your insurance company if you do not have comprehensive coverage for your policy.
Comprehensive coverage covers only the vehicle itself and is not an internal item, so it is not usually covered by car insurance. However, if you have homeowner’s insurance or tenant’s insurance, your vehicle’s personal belongings may be covered through that insurance. This means that when it’s time to report a loss, both a motor vehicle and a home insurance claim must be filed.
Vehicle theft rate is one of many rating factors considered by car insurance companies. If you have a model that is susceptible to theft or theft, you may end up paying a higher compensation rate. For example, some insurance companies do not issue policies to KIA or Hyundai drivers on models from 2011 to 2021 due to the high theft rates of these cars.
How to prevent car theft
As burglars learn to take advantage of modern vehicle security systems, theft methods of car theft are becoming more and more technologically advanced. Keyless entry hacks, reprogrammed vehicle software, and VIN-linked keycodes all allow for easy entry for burglars and target car security as moving.
Consider the following measures to maximize your vehicle’s security (and potentially earn additional insurance discounts).
- Smart Parking: A locked home garage is one of the biggest theft deterrents, but you can prevent theft by locking your car when you’re not in the car, parking in a bright area, and maintaining the key fob.
- Please clear your seats: The visible valuables in the car can attract thieves. It can also fascinate you with blankets, coats, or other items that appear to cover your valuables.
- Investing in Lock: Buy locks for handles, hoods, and/or wheels to secure your car when not in use.
- Add a GPS tracker: Tracking a car does not prevent theft, but it can increase the chances of quickly collecting stolen vehicles.
