Top 10 U.S. states for vehicle thefts
It’s a statistic that many of us probably never think about – until we hear the number. New research reveals that a staggering 1,001,967 vehicles were stolen in the U.S. in 2022, with the Centennial State (Colorado) earning the #1 spot among the top 10 states with the highest rate of vehicle thefts overall.
- The overall figure for 2022 for the 10 states where this crime was most prevalent saw, on average, a 13% increase in vehicle thefts compared to the year prior.
- The Chevrolet Pick-Up was the model most commonly stolen with 48,206 thefts, closely followed by the Ford Pick-Up, with 47,999 thefts.
- The Sunshine State (Florida) is the state that has the seventh highest rate of vehicle thefts with five out of every 1,000 vehicles registered being stolen.
Data obtained by the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) and analyzed by vehicle history check platform carVertical reveal an alarming upward trend in vehicle theft and what specific models are most likely to be stolen.
CarVertical found that Florida has the seventh highest rate of vehicle thefts according to the total number of vehicles registered in the state as provided by Statista. For every 1,000 cars registered in Florida, five were stolen in 2022. That roughly equates to one in every 200 vehicles being stolen.
CarVertical found that Colorado has the highest rate of vehicle thefts, for every 1,000 cars registered in Colorado, 28 were stolen in 2022.
Washington and Missouri are the two states that had the joint second highest rate of vehicle theft, with both states having a stolen vehicle rate of 15 per 1,000 registered vehicles.
California has the highest total of stolen vehicles at 202,685 out of 14,268,528 registered vehicles, its stolen vehicle rate however is 14 per 1,000 registered vehicles.
Texas has the second highest number of vehicles stolen with 105,015, with a stolen vehicle rate per 1,000 registered vehicles of 13.
The overall figure for 2022 in the 10 states where this crime was most prevalent saw on average a 13% increase in vehicle thefts compared to 2021.
Top ten states for vehicle theft
| State | Total Number of Stolen Vehicles | Total Number of Registered Vehicles | Stolen vehicles per 1,000 registered vehicles |
| Colorado | 42,237 | 1,496,310 | 28 |
| Washington | 46,939 | 2,977,074 | 15 |
| Missouri | 29,345 | 1,916,497 | 15 |
| California | 202,685 | 14,268,528 | 14 |
| Texas | 105,015 | 7,784,067 | 13 |
| Illinois | 38,649 | 4,117,589 | 9 |
| New York | 28,292 | 3,112,030 | 9 |
| Georgia | 26,529 | 3,525,145 | 7 |
| Ohio | 29,913 | 4,086,521 | 7 |
| Florida | 45,973 | 7,853,979 | 5 |
As for the specific car models most commonly stolen, the Chevrolet Pick-Up (Full Size) comes out on top with 48,206 thefts. That is closely followed by the Ford Pick-Up (Full Size), with 47,999 thefts.
The Honda Civic and Honda Accord rank third and fourth recording 31,673 and 30,274 thefts respectively, while the Toyota Camry bottoms out the list with 17,270 thefts.
Pick-Up trucks have been the most stolen passenger vehicle for the last two years according to the most recent records that the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) has available.
With vehicle theft on the rise so is the reselling of these stolen automobiles. A spokesperson from carVertical, a platform that is designed to prevent prospective buyers from purchasing a previously stolen vehicle, emphasized the importance of checking a vehicle’s history.
“The alarming spike in the number of car thefts, make it more important than ever for car buyers to perform a vehicle history check prior to making a purchase. By examining a car’s past, including its ownership history, accident record and whether or not it was previously reported stolen, buyers can better protect themselves from potential fraud.”
“At carVertical, we believe that vehicle history checks are an essential step in ensuring both the safety and financial security of car buyers in today’s unpredictable market.”
carVertical’s platform works by collecting data from various sources, including government registries, insurance companies, and other databases. The information is then stored on a secure blockchain, ensuring that it cannot be altered or tampered with. Users can access this information by simply entering a vehicle’s identification number (VIN) on the CarVertical website.
(Source: carVertical) / (Cover photo: Chevy Pickup, image credit: Mueller Chevrolet)
Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today / Follow Richard on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram
