City Metro Areas with the Most Car Thefts

Car thieves weren’t sheltering at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. They were out stealing cars and reversing two years of motor vehicle theft declines.

A recent study by the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) found that car thefts were up dramatically in 2020 compared to 2019. The study found that there were 873,080 motor vehicle thefts in 2020. That’s a 9.2% increase over 2019 when there were 799,644 motor vehicle thefts. This is an increase of 73,000 car thefts. 

"Preliminary reports indicate a sharp increase in automobile thefts for 2020," said NICB President and CEO David Glawe in the press release. "All indications are 2020 will be the largest theft year in the past decade by a significant margin."

Every single month in 2020 saw an increase in car thefts. While the motor vehicle theft increase was a shocking 9.2%, car thieves got really busy in the second half of the year. Every month from June through December saw double-digit percentage gains in car thefts.

"Based on the preliminary nature of the data, the cause of this increase will require a thorough intelligence assessment," said Glawe. "Considerations such as the pandemic, economic downturn, loss of juvenile outreach programs and public safety budgetary and resource limitations are likely contributing factors. Thieves exploit opportunities and may look for vehicles parked in the same location or citizens not taking proper measures to secure their vehicles."

Motor vehicle thefts stats were declining before 2020

Car theft is big business. FBI data estimated that roughly $6.4 billion was lost to car theft in 2019, with the average dollar loss per theft coming in at $8,886. In 2019, the motor vehicle theft rate was roughly 219.9 per 100,000 people in 2019. That was a decline from 230.2 in 2018. Those numbers headed up for 2020.

The total number of car thefts in 2019 went down as well, with a total of 721,885 motor vehicle thefts, a 4% dip from the 751,885 vehicles stolen in 2018. Overall, motor vehicle thefts have dropped dramatically in the last 26 years since they peaked in 1991 when an astounding 1.7 million vehicles were stolen. This translates into a 43% decline when compared to the 2019 numbers.

The NICB credits not only law enforcement for the motor vehicle theft decline but also anti-theft technology that has made it more difficult to steal vehicles, as well as insurance company support for organizations, such as the NCIB.

Biggest days for motor vehicle thefts

While most of us are celebrating the holidays, car thieves may be headed into work. New Year's Day is the biggest day for motor vehicle theft, but Labor Day runs a close second.

Here are the top 10 holidays when it comes to car theft:

1. New Year's Day -- 2,320
2. Labor Day -- 2,222
3. Presidents' Day -- 2,204
4. New Year's Eve -- 2,201
5. Halloween -- 2,191
6. Valentine's Day -- 2,174
7. Memorial Day -- 2,162
8. Christmas Eve -- 2,011
9. Independence Day -- 1,995
10. Thanksgiving -- 1,683

Auto theft stats by state

Not every state is created equal when it comes to car theft. Most of the states in the top 10 for motor vehicle thefts all have large cities within their borders and are less rural than the states where motor vehicle theft is less common.

The Golden State grabbed the brass ring for motor vehicle thefts with 141,757 car boosts in 2019. California also held the top spot for motor vehicle theft by metropolitan area (see below), which makes locking your ride up even more important if you call California home. The rest of the top five was rounded out by Texas, Florida, Washington and Georgia.

Here are the top 10 states for motor vehicle theft:

1. California -- 141,757
2. Texas -- 77,489
3. Florida -- 39,048
4. Washington -- 24,402
5. Georgia -- 23,776
6. Colorado -- 22,113
7. Missouri -- 21,072
8. Tennessee -- 19,180
9. Illinois -- 18,775
10. Ohio -- 18,672

States that are a bit more rural, with smaller populations, make up most of the states where car theft is rare. Vermont only saw 298 car thefts in 2019, which is 99.8% fewer motor vehicle thefts than hit California in 2019. The top five consisted of Vermont, Wyoming, Maine, New Hampshire and Rhode Island.

California is the motor vehicle theft capital of the US

It turns out that the largest percentage of vehicles are stolen from the Golden State. California isn't only the number one state for car theft, but its metropolitan areas also rank at the top of car theft lists. Many of the highest motor vehicle theft cities are located in California.

California's Bakersfield metropolitan area had the highest per capita motor vehicle theft rate in 2019, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau in its latest motor vehicle theft statistics by city metro area report. California managed to put four metro areas in the top 10 for motor vehicle thefts, the only state with more than one metro area in the top 10.

New Mexico's Albuquerque metropolitan area, which includes Bernalillo County, had been the leader the previous two years for motor vehicle theft. Despite having a motor vehicle theft decline from 2018 to 2019, Bakersfield metro area, which includes Kern County, moved from third to first for having the most vehicles stolen per capita. California has the dubious distinction of placing 10 metro areas in the top 20 nationally for motor vehicle theft.

NICB's report analyzes motor vehicle theft data from the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) for each of the nation's Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA). These areas often include many other cities and towns beyond the namesake city.

Another note on the findings: It turns out that car thefts by city is not always an accurate indicator. When it comes to a population-based survey, an area with fewer people and a moderate number of thefts can and often does have a higher motor vehicle theft rate than an area with a much higher motor vehicle theft rate and a larger population to absorb it. 

That's why the St. Joseph, Missouri metro area, with 770 car thefts, placed third, while Los Angeles, with 49,441 ranked at No. 45.

States with fewer motor vehicle thefts

Here are the 10 states that had the fewest motor vehicle thefts in 2019:

1. Vermont -- 298
2. Wyoming -- 713
3. Maine -- 726
4. New Hampshire -- 893
5. Rhode Island -- 1,358
6. Idaho -- 1,571
7. Delaware -- 1,604
8. South Dakota -- 1,756
9. North Dakota -- 1,792
10. D.C. -- 2,333

Comprehensive car insurance covers theft

If your vehicle is stolen, you must have comprehensive car insurance to file a claim to replace it. 

When getting a quote for comprehensive coverage, you need to choose a deductible amount. A deductible is the amount you’re responsible for paying before your insurance benefits start to payout. Comprehensive insurance also covers damage due to flooding, fire, hail, wind, vandalism and animal strikes, in addition to theft. If your car is stolen and you file an auto insurance claim, you'll get your car’s actual cash value, minus your deductible.

The car’s value, your driving record, your deductible and repair costs determine the cost of comprehensive auto insurance coverage, but it's usually very affordable. The average annual cost nationwide for comprehensive coverage is just $192, according to a CarInsurance.com rate analysis.

But you can reduce your chances for theft and trim your car insurance rates by using anti-theft devices. Auto insurance companies will typically grant car insurance discounts of up to 15%, but sometimes, even more, depending on the device you have, if your car has theft protection.

Car insurance doesn't cover personal items in your car. Instead, you would need homeowners or renters insurance to help if someone steals personal items.

Metropolitan statistical areas with highest motor vehicle theft rates

Here are 384 metro areas with populations over 50,000, ranked by rate of vehicle thefts per 100,000 residents, as calculated by the NICB.