Pandemic Or Not, Vehicle Thefts Are Skyrocketing In These Parts Of The Country

One of many unpleasant byproducts of the COVID-19 pandemic was a surge in vehicle thefts, credited largely to the plethora of cars left parked in place due to work-at-home mandates and business shutdowns. Yet even as the nation began returning to workplaces and taking road trips last year, car thieves were practicing their nefarious trade unabated in many parts of the country.

According to the annual “Hot Spots” report issued by the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), crooks purloined 932,329 cars, trucks, and SUVs in the U.S. during 2021, which represents a six percent increase over 2020, and a 17 percent jump since pre-pandemic 2019.

Auto thefts increased the most last year in Colorado, with 661 vehicles stolen per 100,000 people, compared to 502 in 2020—that’s a 32 percent jump. California suffered the highest number of stolen vehicles overall, with 200,524 vehicles taken. Altogether, the top five states for vehicular crime, California, Illinois, Florida, Colorado, and Texas, accounted for a whopping 412,008 cars stolen, which amounts to 44 percent of all thefts nationwide. On the plus side, 22 states reported a drop in vehicle thefts during 2020.

Among major U.S. cities, Bakersfield, Calif. suffered the highest volume of cars illegally taken last year at 1,024 thefts per 100,000 residents. Because the NICB’s report is based on a population-based survey, less-populated metropolitan areas often report a higher theft rate than an area that suffers an actual higher number of thefts. We’re featuring lists of the states and localities suffering the most car thefts in the lists below.

And don’t think only those who own flashy sports cars or expensive luxury models need be cautious in this regard. As it turns out, the most targeted rides on the road are otherwise common older models, with the Chevrolet Silverado and Ford F-Series full-size pickup trucks, and the Honda Civic and Accord and Toyota Corolla passenger cars topping the list for 2021.

While some especially desirable rides are sold overseas with faked documentation, the most stolen models are driven or towed away to “chop shops” where they’re dismantled into separate components that can be passed off to unscrupulous vendors. Of particular interest to crooks these days is a car’s catalytic converter (a key anti-emissions component), which alone can command as much as $250 or more for the precious metals used to make it work, including platinum, palladium, and rhodium.

“For many of us, cars are essential to our livelihoods and the welfare of our families,” says NICB President and CEO David Glawe. “NICB, along with our partners in law enforcement, are proactively working to prevent and deter vehicle theft, but vehicle owners can take simple steps to empower themselves. No matter who you are or where you live, theft prevention starts with good security hygiene.”

According to the NICB, that starts with the most obvious, but sadly often overlooked practice of never leaving the key in the ignition, or keyless entry fob in a cupholder or cubby whenever the car is left unattended, no matter how briefly. The NICB reports that 97,769 vehicles were stolen with the keys left inside during 2020.

Otherwise, motorists are cautioned to either keep their vehicles locked in their own garages at home or in a brightly lit and well-populated spot when out in public, preferably one that’s staffed by security. It also pays to install an anti-theft device, especially one that protects the aforementioned catalytic converter.

Here’s the list of the NICB’s top 10 metropolitan “hot spots” for vehicle thefts relative to population size during 2021, with the number of vehicles stolen per 100,000 residents noted in parenthesis:

1. Bakersfield, CA (1024)
2. Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO (965)
3. Pueblo, CO (891)
4. Albuquerque, NM (710)
5. Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA (680)
6. San Francisco – Oakland – Berkeley, CA (676)
7. Billings, MT (611)
8. Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI (598)
9. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA (582)
10. Yuba City, CA (579)

And here’s which states reported the most car thefts per 100,000 residents last year, according to the NICB:

1. Colorado (661)
2. Washington, D.C. (651)
3. California (511)
4. New Mexico (475)
5. Oregon (471)
6. Washington (462)
7. Missouri (428)
8. Nevada (427)
9. Oklahoma (359)
10. Texas (320)