The Most Stolen Cars in Every State

It turns out that car thieves in 2019 liked stealing pretty much the same cars they did in 2018.

In its latest Hot Wheels report, the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) said Ford full-size pickups were the most common stolen car in 2019, moving up to the first-place spot from third place in 2018. Car thieves stole a total of 38,938 Ford pickup in 2019 along with 33,000 Honda Civics, which slipped from first-place last year to number two in 2019.

The top five stolen cars in America in 2019 were the same five cars from 2018, although the order changed a bit. In fact, the entire top 10 stolen vehicles on the list are the same vehicles as the most stolen vehicles in 2018, with one small exception, the Honda CR-V, which knocked the Jeep Grand Cherokee out of the top 10.

Top 5 most common stolen cars in America

2019

1. Ford Pick-Up (Full Size)
2. Honda Civic
3. Chevrolet Pick-Up
4. Honda Accord
5. Toyota Camry

2018

1. Honda Civic
2. Honda Accord
3. Ford Pickup (Full Size)
4. Chevrolet Pickup (Full Size)
5. Toyota Camry

Most-Stolen Vehicles Overall for 2019

Car thieves stole fewer cars in 2019. According to FBI car theft statistics, 721,885 vehicles were stolen in 2019. That’s a 4% decline from 2018 and represents roughly $6.4 billion in stolen vehicles, with the average loss per theft coming to $8,886.

While Ford Pickups and Honda Civics often sit at the top of most frequently stolen car lists, they are all older, pre-“smart key production models. The most common year for the Fords was 2006; the most commonly stolen Civic was a 2000. When it comes to the Honda Accord, it was the 1997 model that thieves loved the most.

Why are car thieves stealing a 24-year-old car? Probably because they are easier to take. Technology makes it more difficult to steal newer vehicles, so car thieves focus on older models. In addition, many of them are stripped for parts. Thieves often take older cars simply because their parts are worth money. Most of the top five vehicles are all big sellers, so there is plenty of demand for parts.

The good news is that every car in the top five saw a decline in the number of cars stolen, except the Ford Pickups. That vehicle went from roughly 36,000 vehicles boosted to 38,500. The Civic saw a significant drop, going from 38,426 cars stolen down to 33,220.

Here are the 10 most stolen models by number of thefts in 2019:

The NCIB also released stolen cars statistics for the top 10 models, makes and years swiped in 2019. The Jeep Grand Cherokee reappears on that list. The top 10 most stolen cars by model year and makes in 2019 are:

How to protect your ride?

NICB suggests people use four layers of protection to stop car thieves:

Common Sense: Use common sense to protect your vehicle.

You should always:

• Remove your keys from the ignition
• Lock your doors/close your windows
• Park in a well-lit area

Warning Device: Using a visible or audible device can help alert thieves that your vehicle is protected.

Consider these devices:

• Audible alarms
• Steering column collars
• Steering wheel/brake pedal lock
• Brake locks
• Wheel locks
• Theft-deterrent decals
• Identification markers in or on vehicle
• VIN etching
• Microdot marking

Immobilizing Device: This is a great way to keep your vehicle safe. While these devices cost a bit more, they often result in a significant discount on your premium. Some electronic devices have computer chips in ignition keys. Other devices inhibit the flow of electricity or fuel to the engine until a hidden switch or button is activated.

Examples include:

• Smart keys
• Fuse cut-offs
• Kill switches
• Starter, ignition, and fuel pump disablers
• Wireless ignition authentication

Tracking Device: Tracking devices can be very effective. They work by helping authorities recover stolen vehicles. Some of the systems use “telematics.” Telematics combine GPS and wireless technologies to allow remote monitoring of the location of a vehicle.

If the vehicle is moved, the system will alert the owner and the vehicle can be tracked via computer.

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Most-Stolen Vehicles by State

Regardless of what state you live in, driving a pickup puts a major target on your back when it comes to car theft.

In 35 states, the most-stolen model in 2019 was a Chevrolet or Ford pickup truck. There wasn’t a state where the Ford pickups didn’t make the top 10 and only nine states where Chevrolet trucks were not represented in top 10.

Honda Accords and Civics rounded out much of the rest of the states’ top targets. There were some exceptions, though. The lists vary based on the part of the country. Some states are all or almost exclusively trucks and SUVs, while other states are filled with cars.

Here are some of the highlights:

• The Chevrolet Impala and Malibu grabbed the top two spots in Illinois.
• In Vermont, Subaru’s are popular with the Impreza, Forester, and Legacy grabbed the three, four and five spots.
• The Dodge Caravan was the top stolen vehicle in Wisconsin for the second year in a row.
• One of the most stolen vehicles in California was the 1995 Acura Integra.
• The list also shows that old cars remain popular with car thieves. The oldest vehicle to make the list was the 1977 Buick LeSabre, which is a hot ride (pun intended) to boost in Wyoming, where it tied for ninth place.
• After that, the oldest vehicles are 1994s and most of those were Honda Accords and Civics. Apparently, Oregon loves old cars, with nine of the top 10 stolen cars being made in the 1990s.
• On the flip side of that coin, Washington D.C. has a hankering for new cars. The oldest model year in their top 10 was 2002 (a Dodge Caravan), while five of the top 10 were either a 2018 or 2019 model year.

Below is the most stolen cars by state list for 2019:

How Car Theft Affects Car Insurance Rates?

Why should you care what the most commonly stolen cars are in the U.S? Because it can still impact car insurance costs.

Many factors go into calculating car insurance rates, including the number and severity of claims for your ZIP code and type of car you drive. That means that if you own a model that stolen car statistics show is favored by thieves, you will pay higher premiums, regardless of whether you have ever had a car stolen or not.

If your car is stolen, you’re not covered for theft unless you have bought comprehensive insurance coverage, which pays for physical damage losses resulting from incidents other than collision.

“Comprehensive by itself is pretty cheap, especially on older cars,” says Penny Gusner, senior consumer analyst for CarInsurance.com. “Covering a 1996 Accord with comprehensive and a $500 deductible would be about $100 to $150 a year, even in the most theft-prone states.”

The average yearly cost nationwide for comprehensive coverage is $192, according to CarInsurance.com rate data.

You can use our average car insurance rates tool to determine what people pay for car insurance in your ZIP code or state.

Anti-Theft Discounts

Making your vehicle one of the hardest cars to steal can reduce your chances for theft and reduce your car insurance premiums. Using anti-theft devices doesn’t only keep your car safe but also results in premium discounts. Insurance companies typically offer car insurance discounts of up to 15%, but sometimes even more depending on the device you have, if your car has theft protection.

Mark Vallet

Contributing Researcher

Mark is a freelance journalist and analyst with over 15 years of experience covering the insurance industry. He has extensive experience creating and editing content on a variety of subjects with deep expertise in insurance and automotive writing. He has written for autos.com, carsdirect.com, DARCARS and Madtown Designs to name just a few. He is also a professional blogger and a skilled web content creator who consistently turns out engaging, error-free writing while juggling multiple projects.