Facts + Statistics: Auto theft

Motor vehicle theft

The FBI includes the theft or attempted theft of automobiles, trucks, buses, motorcycles, scooters, snowmobiles and other vehicles in its definition of motor vehicle theft. About $5.9 billion was lost to motor vehicle theft in 2016, according to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Report. The average dollar loss per theft was $7,680. Motor vehicles were stolen at a rate of 236.9 per 100,000 people in 2016, up 6.6 percent from 2015.

Vehicle thefts have been trending downward in the 25 years since they peaked at 1.7 million in 1991, falling 46 percent to 765,484 in 2016, according to the FBI. The National Insurance Crime Bureau credits law enforcement efforts, along with the creation of specific antitheft programs, technology and insurance company-supported organizations such as the NICB for contributing to the theft reduction. However, there was an uptick in the number of vehicles stolen in 2015 and 2016, up by 3.8 percent and 7.4 percent, respectively. In addition, preliminary data from the FBI show that in the first half of 2017, vehicle thefts increased by another 4.1 percent.

Despite the reduction in vehicle thefts over the past two decades, industry observers caution that thieves constantly devise new and sophisticated means of stealing autos. Tactics include acquiring smart keys, which eliminated hot-wiring to steal cars; switching vehicle identification numbers; and using stolen identities to secure loans for expensive vehicles. The number of vehicles stolen with the key or keyless entry device left inside by the owner climbed 22 percent in 2015 to 57,096, according to the NICB.

• Motor vehicles were stolen at a rate of 236.9 per 100,000 people in 2016, up 6.6 percent from 2015 but down 35.1 percent from 2007.
• About $5.9 billion was lost to motor vehicle theft in 2016. The average dollar loss per theft was $7,680.

Most stolen vehicles

The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) reports that the Honda Accord was the most frequently stolen passenger vehicle in 2016, with 50,427 thefts among all model years of this car. The Honda Civic ranked second, with 49,547 thefts. There was no change in these models’ ranking from a year ago. The NICB notes that older Honda Accords and Civics account for almost all of these thefts. Newer Hondas are stolen less frequently, due to improved anti-theft technology like “smart keys”. Only 493 thefts of 2016 Accords were reported last year. Among 2016 model year vehicles, the Toyota Camry was the most frequently stolen vehicle in calendar year 2016, with 1,113 thefts, followed by the Nissan Altima with 1,063 thefts.