Facts + Statistics: Auto theft

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Key Facts

  • According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) 2021 Hot Spots Report and NICB’s Hot Wheels Report.
    • Bakersfield, CA, tops the list for the third year in a row, with the highest automobile theft rate in the U.S., according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau 2021 Hot Spots Report. The theft rate in Bakersfield in 2021 was 1023.68 vehicles stolen per 100,000 residents, a 13 percent increase over 2020.   
    • New to the Top 10 U.S. Metropolitan Statistical Areas by Motor Vehicle Theft Rate are Portland, OR; Seattle, WA; and Milwaukee, WI.  
    • The most stolen vehicles nationally in 2021 were the 2004 Chevrolet Pick-Up (full size), the 2006 Ford Pick-Up (full size), and the 2000 Honda Civic. 

Motor Vehicle Theft

Motor Vehicle Theft, 2011-2020

 

Year Vehicles stolen Percent change
2011 716,508 -3.1%
2012 723,186 0.9
2013 700,288 -3.2
2014 686,803 -1.9
2015 713,063 3.8
2016 767,290 7.6
2017 772,943 0.7
2018 751,904 -2.7
2019 724,872 -3.6
2020 810,400 11.8

Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Uniform Crime Reports.

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Top 10 U.S. Metropolitan Statistical Areas By Motor Vehicle Theft Rate, 2021

 

Rank Metropolitan Statistical Area (1) Theft rate (2)
1 Bakersfield, CA   1,023.68 
2 Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO   964.92 
3 Pueblo, CO   891.39 
4 Albuquerque, NM   710.58 
5 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA 680.20 
6 San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA 675.86 
7 Billings, MT   611.11 
8 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI 597.83 
9 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 582.47 
10 Yuba City, CA   578.68 

(1) Metropolitan Statistical Areas are designated by the federal Office of Management and Budget and usually include areas much larger than the cities for which they are named.
(2) Rate of vehicle thefts reported per 100,000 people based on U.S. Census Population Estimates.

Source: National Insurance Crime Bureau.

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Top 10 States With The Most And The Fewest Number Of Motor Vehicle Thefts, 2020

 

Most motor vehicle thefts Fewest motor vehicle thefts
Rank State Vehicles stolen Rank State Vehicles stolen
1 California 168,323 1 Vermont 264
2 Texas 84,276 2 Maine 862
3 Florida 38,271 3 Wyoming 964
4 Colorado 30,452 4 New Hampshire 1,044
5 Washington 27,399 5 Rhode Island 1,509
6 Georgia 25,506 6 Delaware 1665
7 Missouri 24,189 7 Idaho 1,767
8 Illinois 21,332 8 Alaska 1,969
9 Tennessee 21,098 9 North Dakota 2,074
10 North Carolina 20,520 10 West Virginia 2,271

Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Uniform Crime Reports.

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Motor Vehicle Thefts By State, 2020 (1)

 

State Vehicles stolen State Vehicles stolen
Alabama 10,926 Montana 2,676
Alaska 1,969 Nebraska 5,048
Arizona 17,937 Nevada 10,556
Arkansas 7,933 New Hampshire 1,044
California 168,323 New Jersey 10,278
Colorado 30,452 New Mexico 9,006
Connecticut 8,422 New York 19,656
Delaware 1,665 North Carolina 20,520
D.C. 3,399 North Dakota 2,074
Florida 38,271 Ohio 20,077
Georgia 25,506 Oklahoma 15,047
Hawaii 5,344 Oregon 16,585
Idaho 1,767 Pennsylvania 15,474
Illinois 21,332 Puerto Rico 1,978
Indiana 15,435 Rhode Island 1,509
Iowa 6,235 South Carolina 14,718
Kansas 7,229 South Dakota 2,315
Kentucky 11,497 Tennessee 21,098
Louisiana 12,400 Texas 84,276
Maine 862 Utah 10,288
Maryland 10,469 Vermont 264
Massachusetts 6,835 Virginia 10,853
Michigan 18,385 Washington 27,399
Minnesota 14,146 West Virginia 2,271
Mississippi 6,083 Wisconsin 9,393
Missouri 24,189 Wyoming 964

(1) Includes Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia. Does not include a total for the United States because data in this chart is compiled on a different basis than the national totals released by the FBI.

Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Uniform Crime Reports.

Motorcycle Thefts, 2021

 

  Top five motorcycle makes stolen   Top five states by motorcycle thefts   Top five months for motorcyle thefts
Rank Make Thefts Rank State Thefts Rank Month Thefts
1  American Honda Motor Co., Inc.  10,282 1  California  9,345 1  August 5,693
2 Yamaha Motor Corporation  8,185 2 Texas  4,263 2 September 5,540
3 Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A.  5,904 3 Florida 3,698 3 July 5,476
4 Harley Davidson, Inc.  5,811 4 New York 2,662 4 October 5,086
5 American Suzuki Motor Corporation  4,890 5 Washington 1,947 5 June 4,865

Source: National Insurance Crime Bureau.

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Most stolen vehicles

Top 10 Most Frequently Stolen Vehicles, 2021

 

  All model years (1)  
Rank Model Thefts Most common
model year stolen
1 Chevrolet Full Size Pick-up        48,206 2004
2 Ford Full Size Pick-up 47,999 2006
3 Honda Civic 31,673 2000
4 Honda Accord 30,274 1997
5 Toyota Camry 17,270 2007
6 GMC Full Size Pick-up 15,599 2005
7 Nissan Altima 14,108 2020
8 Honda CR-V 13,308 2000
9 Jeep Cherokee/Grand Cherokee 13,210 2018
10 Toyota Corolla 12,927 2020

(1) Includes all model years for each vehicle.

Source: National Insurance Crime Bureau.

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Additional Resources 

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