City Metro Areas with the Most Car Thefts

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California's Bakersfield metropolitan area had the highest per capita auto theft rate in 2019, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau’s (NICB) latest car-theft by city metro area report. New Mexico's Albuquerque metropolitan area, which includes Bernalillo County, had been the leader the previous two years

Despite having a decline from 2018 to 2019, Bakersfield metro area, which includes Kern County, moved from third to first for having the most stolen cars per capita. California has the dubious distinction of placing 10 metro areas in the top 20 nationally.

NICB’s report analyzes 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: as a population-based survey, an area with fewer people and a moderate number of thefts can and often does have a higher theft rate than an area with a much higher theft rate and a larger population to absorb it. That's why the St. Joseph, Missouri metro area, with 770 thefts, placed third, while Los Angeles, with 49,441 ranked at No. 45.

Nationally, vehicle thefts in 2019 are down 6.7% from 2018, according to preliminary 2019 reports from the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

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 will need to choose a deductible amount. A deductible is the amount you’re responsible for paying before your insurance benefits start to pay out. 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 make claim, you'll get up to the actual cash value of your car, minus your deductible.

The value of the car, your driving record, the deductible you choose and repair costs determine the cost of comprehensive coverage, but it is 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. 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.

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