2021 Insurance Fact Book

Property Crimes

The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Uniform Crime Reports defines property crime as larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft and burglary. These crimes involve the unlawful taking of money or property without the use of force or threat of force against the victims. Larceny-theft involves the successful or attempted taking of property from another; it includes shoplifting, pick pocketing, purse snatching and bicycle theft. While motor vehicle theft of is a separate offense category, the thefts of motor vehicle parts and accessories are considered larceny. Burglary involves the unlawful entry into a structure such as a home or business. According to the FBI, in 2019 there were a reported 6,925,677 property crime offenses in the United States, down 4.1 percent from 2018. The rate of property crimes in 2019 was 2,109.9 per 100,000 inhabitants, down 4.5 percent from 2018. Property crimes in 2019 cost $15.8 billion. Larceny-theft accounted for the largest share of total property crimes in 2019, at 73.4 percent of all property crimes. Burglary accounted for 16.1 percent, and motor vehicle theft for 10.4 percent.