Revealed – vehicle theft hotspots in the US

Revealed – vehicle theft hotspots in the US | Insurance Business America

Motor & Fleet

Top states in terms of uptick identified

Motor & Fleet

By
Terry Gangcuangco

If you’re a car owner in the District of Columbia, there’s a higher chance your vehicle will be stolen, if figures from a new report by the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) are anything to go by.

According to NICB, overall vehicle thefts in the US went up from 1,008,756 in 2022 to 1,020,729 last year, with the District of Columbia posting the highest theft rate at 1,149.71 thefts per 100,000 people. It was highlighted that the figure is over three times the theft rate for the country.

State

Percent change from 2022 to 2023

District of Columbia

64%

Maryland

63%

Connecticut

33%

Nevada

18%

Massachusetts

16%

Delaware

15%

New York

15%

Pennsylvania

13%

Nebraska

12%

Louisiana, North Carolina & Tennessee

10%

NICB also noted that, of the reported vehicle thefts in 2023, the highest number came from California, accounting for 208,668 out of the national total.

Volume-wise, here are the hotspots when it comes to vehicle theft:

State

2023 vehicle theft

California

208,668

Texas

115,013

Florida

46,213

Washington

43,160

Illinois

41,528

Colorado

34,068

New York

32,715

Ohio

31,647

Georgia

28,171

Missouri

27,279

As mentioned, the theft rate is highest in the District of Columbia, with the top 10 states listed below.

State

2023 thefts per 100,000 people

District of Columbia

1,149.71

Colorado

583.25

Nevada

572.70

Washington

554.44

California

534.49

New Mexico

489.67

Missouri

441.61

Maryland

427.99

Oregon

394.14

Texas

383.00

David J. Glawe, president and chief executive of NICB, said: “Criminals are employing increasingly sophisticated methods to steal vehicles, including the use of advanced technology to bypass security systems. From keyless entry hacks to relay attacks on key fobs, perpetrators are exploiting vulnerabilities in modern vehicle security measures with alarming success rates.

“It is critical that industry and law enforcement work together to develop more effective strategies for combating auto theft and safeguarding public safety.”

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