Auto Burglary and Car Theft: Statistics and Prevention

Many people believe that thieves want to steal the newest cars, but the truth is older cars are stolen more often, as they often lack the built-in anti-theft technology of newer models.

Common Targets

Here are some common targets for auto theft and burglary:

• Older cars
• Cars with custom seats, wheels, etc., as thieves often sell the parts of stolen cars rather than the entire cars
• Cars with valuables left out in plain sight
• Cars with open windows
• Cars with unlocked doors
• Cars in public parking lots or garages without good security, often in dark and secluded areas
• Pickup trucks, as they’re easy to disassemble for parts

Factors That Affect Theft of Cars

These are some factors that affect the likelihood of car theft:

• The year of the car
• Anti-theft software like GPS tracking systems
• Whether valuables are left out
• Whether the car is parked in a city or a suburban or rural area, as cities have higher rates of motor vehicle theft
• Where you park
• Whether you locked your doors and windows

Methods

Here are the major ways that thieves break into cars, according to auto theft investigator Marc Hinch:

• Smashing windows, also known as breaking and entering
• Entering through open windows
• Entering through unlocked doors, as 1 in 6 unlocked cars have a spare key inside, according to Hinch
• Unplugging stock alarm systems
• Using “slim jim” tools to open the locked doors of older cars
• For cars with valet keys (cars where you press a button to start), using devices to capture the key fob’s signal and gain access

Prevention Tips

Car theft is preventable with the right tools and tricks. Follow these steps to avoid getting burglarized:

1. If your car doesn’t already have them, install anti-theft tools like alarm systems, GPS tracking systems, ignition immobilizers, and tire, steering wheel, and hood locks.
2. If you must park in a public garage, park facing a wall or guardrail, which makes it harder to get around your car.
3. If you must park on a public street, park under a light with your wheel facing the curb and your steering wheel locked.
4. Lock your doors and windows every time you leave your car.
5. Never leave your key in the ignition when you exit your car.
6. Don’t leave any valuables out in the open.
7. Put a sticker in your window that indicates an alarm or tracking system.
8. Get your vehicle identification number (VIN) etched onto your windows to make it harder to sell your car for parts. You can get this done at either your car dealership or your local police station.¹

If you’ve had a vehicle stolen, you may or may not be able to recover it. However, it’s still worth contacting the police and your auto insurance provider to file an auto insurance claim under theft coverage. How long the auto insurance claim takes depends heavily on your provider.

1. First, confirm that your car was stolen and not towed legitimately. Check if you were parked illegally, like in front of a fire hydrant.
2. Once you’ve confirmed that your vehicle was stolen, file a stolen vehicle report with the police, giving them your vehicle’s make, model, color, VIN, and license plate number. Also include any other identifying details, like a scratch on the trunk.
3. Get a copy of the report as well as your case number so you can give it to your auto insurance provider. You’ll need a police report to file an auto insurance claim.
4. File a claim with your insurance provider within 24 hours of the theft.
5. If you have a GPS tracking system, check it to see if you can find your vehicle’s location.
6. Drive around the area where your car was stolen.
7. Ask surrounding businesses if they have any outdoor surveillance equipment that could contain evidence of the theft.
8. Use the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) VINCheck, a free lookup service where you can see if someone found your vehicle or reported it as a salvage vehicle.
9. Search for your car on online car-selling websites like Autotrader.
10. On your city’s ticketing website, enter your license plate number to see if it received any tickets post-theft.
11. If you find your car, let the police and your insurance provider know as soon as possible.²

Older cars are stolen more frequently than more recent cars, as they lack anti-theft devices and GPS tracking. Here are the cars stolen most frequently in 2020, according to the NICB.

Here are the items that car thieves steal from cars the most:

• Car registration, documentation, and manuals
• Catalytic converters
• Electronics like cellphones, iPods, and portable gaming systems
• GPS devices
• Laptops, iPads, and tablets
• License plates and tabs
• Portable TVs
• Radios
• Rims and tires
• Speakers
• Third-row seats that are easily removed
• Truck tailgates

If you see a motor vehicle theft in progress, follow these steps:

1. Call 911.
2. Take mental notes of the person’s appearance, the car’s license plate number, and other information useful to the police.
3. Give your specific location to the police.
4. Let the police know if anyone needs medical attention and if any weapons are involved.
5. Keep all physical evidence intact.⁴

Here are the most recent statistics on car theft in the U.S. and beyond.

By Country

The country with the highest car theft rates in 2018 was New Zealand, which had 80 percent more car theft than the U.S. in the same year.

From 1990 to 2020

Motor vehicle theft rates in the U.S. have decreased by over 60 percent from 1990 to 2020. We believe this decrease is due to increases in anti-theft technology like keyless entry and GPS tracking.

By State

Colorado had the highest rate of motor vehicle theft in the U.S. in 2020, 53 percent higher than the rest of the U.S. The safest state in terms of motor vehicle theft is Vermont, with only 42 motor vehicle thefts per 100,000 inhabitants.

By Type of Region

If you live in a big city like New York City, you’re about 53 percent more likely to get your car stolen than someone in a rural area, according to FBI data. Crime rates are always highest in cities versus suburban or rural areas across all types of crime aside from motor vehicle theft, such as homicide, other types of robbery, property crime, and assault.⁶

By City

The city in the U.S. with the most motor vehicle theft is Bakersfield, California, with 905 car thefts per 100,000 inhabitants, according to the NICB’s 2020 Hot Spots Report. Aside from auto burglary in California, here are the top 25 metropolitan statistical areas for car theft:

Interestingly, the biggest cities for car theft in the U.S. tend to be on the West Coast and in the Midwest. One reason for this may be the superior public transportation on the East Coast, which allows people to leave their cars safe at home when commuting to work.

Here are some other interesting motor vehicle theft statistics from the FBI’s 2019 data:

• In 2019, there were 721,885 motor vehicle thefts in the U.S., an average of 220 per 100,000 inhabitants.
• From 2018 to 2019, car theft rates decreased by 4 percent.
• Total losses from motor vehicle thefts equaled around $6.4 billion, or an average loss of $8,886 per vehicle.
• 75 percent of the motor vehicles stolen in 2019 were automobiles rather than motorcycles, ATVs, etc.⁸

To avoid grand theft auto and the crime of burglary in general, your safest bet is to park in private garages whenever possible.

While your auto insurance coverage should reimburse you for the stolen items or vehicle, motor vehicle theft is still a headache you want to avoid. Learn how deductibles work, as you’ll need to pay your entire deductible before your insurance will kick in. Sometimes the extra features, like keyless entry, are worth the money to make your car harder to break into.