Image by Getty Images; Illustration by Bankrate
After years of high auto theft rates, the latest report from the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) shows a surprising turn of events — vehicle theft rates dropped by 17 percent in 2024. This decrease finally puts car theft rates back near pre-pandemic levels.
Key auto theft statistics
- In 2024, 850,708 vehicles were reported stolen in the U.S., down from 1,020,729 in 2023. (NICB)
- California remains the state with the most vehicles stolen in 2024 (181,571), but Washington, D.C., has the highest theft rate at 842.40 cars stolen per 100,000 people. (NICB)
- Only Maine saw an increase in car thefts in 2024, at 2%. (NICB)
- Motor vehicle theft is the third most common property crime in the United States. (U.S. Department of Justice)
How often do cars get stolen?
According to the NICB annual car thefts rose to 1,020,729 in 2023, but dropped by 17 percent to 850,708 in 2024. To put this in perspective, about 116 vehicles per hour were stolen in 2023 versus 97 per hour in 2024. This dramatic improvement is credited to increased anti-theft measures, expanded availability of vehicle parts and teamwork between law enforcement agencies and vehicle manufacturers.
The overall decrease in stolen vehicles nationwide is a testament to the hard work and collaboration between law enforcement, multi-jurisdictional auto theft task forces, governing bodies, vehicle manufacturers and NICB. Collectively, these groups used data and intelligence to develop actionable strategies to help local authorities investigate and prosecute offenders and to prevent vehicle theft from occurring in the first place.
— David J. Glawe, President and CEO of NICB
The FBI tracks vehicle theft rates and demographics. The latest FBI report compiles data up until December 2023. Over the past five years, data shows that:
- Of thefts where the age of the offender was known, 55 percent of offenders were between the ages of 20-39.
- The gender of most offenders is either unknown or unspecified (67.74 percent), but among identified offenders, 78 percent are male, compared to 22 percent female.
- Most victims of vehicle theft don’t know the offender; 79 percent are strangers or unknown.
Where do the most cars get stolen?
Location matters in vehicle thefts. FBI data shows that 35 percent of stolen vehicles are taken from the owner’s residence or home. Bankrate writer Dayana Yochim found this out the hard way when her car was stolen several years ago.
I was parked on the street in front of a friend’s house in Hyattesville, Maryland. There were a lot of other cars parked on the street, but evidently, my ’94 Honda Accord was so special that someone just had to have it.
— Dayana Yochim, Bankrate writer
As of 2024, California is the state with both the most total vehicle thefts and the most thefts per capita, but when you include Washington D.C., the capital city tops the list of thefts per capita at 842.4 thefts per 100,000 residents. Washington, D.C., unseats Colorado, which had the most thefts per capital for the four previous years (2020-2023). States in the West have historically been hot spots for motor vehicle theft, while New England states like Massachusetts and New Hampshire see the lowest rates of auto theft overall.
Car theft statistics by metro
The top metropolitan statistical area by theft volume was Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, California, and the highest theft rate per 100,000 people was San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, California. According to NICB, 35 percent of all stolen vehicle reports in 2024 were from the top 10 metro areas by volume.
2024 Top 10 metro areas by vehicle theft rate
| Metropolitain Area | Theft rate rank | Thefts per 100K people | Thefts by volume |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 1 | 763.66 | 34,876 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | 2 | 714.92 | 9,549 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | 3 | 701.01 | 6,406 |
| Albuquerque, NM | 4 | 668.22 | 6,163 |
| Pueblo, 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-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 8 | 527.46 | 21,335 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 9 | 520.08 | 66,565 |
| New Haven-Milford, CT | 10 | 498.98 | 2,835 |
Hyundai and Kia thefts remain high
Despite recent anti-theft improvements, Hyundai models topped the NICB’s 2024 list of most stolen vehicles in the wake of social media trends that advertised the make’s lack of immobilizers in some models. Only 26 percent of Hyundai and Kia vehicles from the 2015 model year came with immobilizers, compared to 96 percent of cars from other manufacturers.
When TikTok users like the “Kia Boys” discovered this security oversight and sparked an explosive auto theft fad, theft claims for Kia and Hyundai users increased dramatically in 2022 and 2023. However, after both makes implemented free software upgrades and other programs to address these issues, theft rates dropped significantly.
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Does car insurance cover theft?
Your car insurance handles theft and loss in a few different ways. The comprehensive portion of your insurance policy typically covers the theft of your vehicle. It also can cover the cost of repairs, such as broken windows, locks or ignition. If you don’t have comprehensive coverage on your policy, however, you won’t be able to file a theft claim with your insurance company.
Your comprehensive coverage only covers the vehicle itself, not the items inside, so your personal belongings are not typically covered by your car insurance. However, if you have homeowners insurance or renters insurance, the personal belongings in your vehicle would likely be covered through that policy. This means that when it comes time to report your losses, you would likely need to file both a car insurance claim and a home insurance claim.
Vehicle theft rates are one of many rating factors considered by car insurance companies. If you have a model that is often stolen or susceptible to theft, you’ll likely pay higher coverage rates as a result. For example, some insurers will not issue policies to Kia or Hyundai drivers with a model from 2011 to 2021 due to the high theft rates for these cars.
How to prevent car theft
Car theft methods are increasingly technologically advanced, as thieves learn how to exploit modern vehicle security systems. Keyless entry hacks, reprogrammed vehicle software and key codes linked to VINs all allow easy entry for thieves, making car security a moving target.
To maximize your vehicle’s security (and potentially earn an extra insurance discount), consider the following measures:
- Smart parking: A locked home garage is one of the greatest theft deterrents, but locking your car when you’re not in it, parking in well-lit areas and keeping your key fob with you can help prevent theft.
- Keep your seats clear: Visible valuables inside your car can attract thieves — and so can blankets, coats or other items that look as if they’re covering valuables.
- Invest in locks: Purchase locks for your steering wheel, your hood and/or your wheels to secure your car when it’s not in use.
- Add a GPS tracker: Tracking your car won’t prevent theft, but it could increase the chances of recovering a stolen vehicle quickly.
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