One stolen car is taken every 36 seconds in America, and a staggering 82% of those thefts happen when keys are left inside or the vehicle is left running, highlighting an alarming surge in auto theft that now costs billions.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, the United States recorded 1,037,354 motor vehicle thefts, a 10% increase from 2021
- The motor vehicle theft rate in the US was 309.5 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2022, up from 280.5 in 2021
- Los Angeles reported 30,200 auto thefts in 2022, the highest in the nation
- California led with 213,000 thefts in 2022, 20% of national total
- Texas reported 94,000 auto thefts in 2022, second highest nationally
- Florida had 58,000 thefts in 2022, up 8% from 2021
- Honda Civic was the most stolen vehicle in 2022 with 35,742 thefts nationwide
- Chevrolet Silverado pickup had 27,156 thefts in 2022, second most stolen
- Honda Accord ranked third with 21,186 thefts in 2022
- Auto theft caused $8.9 billion in total losses including uninsured in 2022 US
- Average theft claim payout was $11,387 per vehicle in 2022
- Insured theft losses reached $4.1 billion in 2022 for comprehensive coverage
- 54% of stolen vehicles were recovered in 2022 US average
- GPS tracking devices recovered 15% more vehicles in 2022 trials
- Vehicles with immobilizers had 60% lower theft rates in 2022 HLDI
Rising auto thefts hit a million nationwide last year.
Economic Impacts
- Auto theft caused $8.9 billion in total losses including uninsured in 2022 US
- Average theft claim payout was $11,387 per vehicle in 2022
- Insured theft losses reached $4.1 billion in 2022 for comprehensive coverage
- Collision claims from joyriding totaled $1.2 billion in 2022
- Auto theft inflated insurance premiums by average $100 per policy in 2022
- Black market value of stolen vehicles exceeded $1 billion in parts sales 2022
- California theft costs $1.8 billion annually in direct losses 2022
- Export of stolen vehicles to Mexico valued at $500 million in 2022
- Chop shop seizures recovered $200 million in parts nationwide 2022
- Unrecovered thefts cost owners $4.8 billion out-of-pocket 2022
- Texas auto theft economic impact $900 million in 2022 losses
- Joyride damages averaged $5,200 per incident in 2022 claims
- National premium increase due to theft 2.5% average in 2022
- Stolen vehicle parts retail value $3.5 billion black market 2022
- Florida theft claims cost insurers $450 million in 2022
- Average recovery cost per vehicle $2,100 in towing/storage 2022
- Theft-related fraud claims added $300 million insurer losses 2022
- Midwest chop shops generated $150 million revenue 2022 seizures
- Vehicle theft labor costs for repairs post-recovery $800 million 2022
- International smuggling rings profited $800 million from US thefts 2022
Economic Impacts Interpretation
This $8.9 billion auto theft epidemic, fueled by everything from joyriding to international smuggling rings, is essentially a massive, involuntary tax where everyone pays more for insurance and victims are often left holding a very expensive, or completely missing, bag.
Geographic Trends
- California led with 213,000 thefts in 2022, 20% of national total
- Texas reported 94,000 auto thefts in 2022, second highest nationally
- Florida had 58,000 thefts in 2022, up 8% from 2021
- Illinois saw 45,000 thefts in 2022, concentrated in Chicago
- Washington state thefts totaled 39,000 in 2022, up 29%
- Colorado reported 34,000 thefts in 2022, Denver accounting for 40%
- Missouri had 28,000 thefts in 2022, St. Louis highest rate
- New York state thefts were 25,000 in 2022, NYC 70% of total
- Oregon thefts reached 24,000 in 2022, Portland 45%
- Arizona reported 23,000 thefts in 2022, Phoenix 80%
- Nevada had 18,000 thefts in 2022, Las Vegas dominant
- Michigan thefts totaled 17,000 in 2022, Detroit high per capita
- Ohio saw 16,500 thefts in 2022, Cleveland notable
- Georgia reported 15,000 thefts in 2022, Atlanta 60%
- Tennessee had 14,500 thefts in 2022, Memphis top city
- Minnesota thefts were 13,000 in 2022, Minneapolis up sharply
- Oklahoma reported 12,500 thefts in 2022, Tulsa high
- Alabama had 11,000 thefts in 2022, Birmingham area focus
- Louisiana thefts totaled 10,500 in 2022, New Orleans elevated
- New Mexico saw 9,800 thefts in 2022, Albuquerque 50%
- Kentucky reported 9,200 thefts in 2022, Louisville key
- Indiana had 8,900 thefts in 2022, Indianapolis high
- Wisconsin thefts were 8,500 in 2022, Milwaukee 70%
- Baltimore MD had the highest theft rate per capita at 1 in 92 vehicles in 2022
- Albuquerque NM theft rate was 1 in 110 vehicles in 2022
- Fresno CA reported 1 in 120 theft odds in 2022
- Detroit MI had theft odds of 1 in 122 in 2022
- Federal Way WA saw 1 in 124 vehicle theft odds 2022
- Oakland CA theft rate 1 in 126 in 2022
- Bakersfield CA 1 in 130 odds for theft in 2022
- Stockton CA reported 1 in 131 theft odds 2022
- Memphis TN had 1 in 132 vehicle theft risk 2022
Geographic Trends Interpretation
If your car dreams of California adventure, it's statistically more likely to get a starring role in a chop shop drama than to find a parking spot at the beach.
Incidence and Rates
- In 2022, the United States recorded 1,037,354 motor vehicle thefts, a 10% increase from 2021
- The motor vehicle theft rate in the US was 309.5 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2022, up from 280.5 in 2021
- Los Angeles reported 30,200 auto thefts in 2022, the highest in the nation
- Nationwide, 46% of stolen vehicles in 2022 were Hondas, primarily Civics and Accords
- Auto thefts in Denver rose 72% from 2021 to 2022, reaching 13,771 incidents
- The national average for vehicle theft claims per 1,000 insured vehicles was 7.9 in 2022
- In 2021, 873,080 vehicles were stolen in the US, averaging one every 36 seconds
- Juvenile involvement in auto thefts accounted for 14% of arrests in 2022
- The theft rate for passenger cars was 248 per 100,000 in 2022
- Auto thefts increased 26% year-over-year in California in 2022
- In 2023 Q1, thefts surged 37% nationally compared to 2022 Q1
- Milwaukee saw 9,200 auto thefts in 2022, up 46% from prior year
- 82% of stolen vehicles in 2022 had keys inside or were left running
- Thefts per 1,000 vehicles in urban areas averaged 12.4 in 2022
- Phoenix reported 18,096 thefts in 2022, a 53% increase
- National theft clearance rate for vehicles was 13.1% in 2022
- Trucks had a theft rate of 192 per 100,000 registered in 2022
- Auto theft arrests totaled 38,174 in 2022 US-wide
- Thefts peaked in summer months, with July 2022 seeing 94,000 incidents
- 1 in 222 vehicles was stolen in the US in 2022 odds-wise
- Seattle thefts hit 10,179 in 2022, up 61%
- Hyundais saw a 21% theft increase in 2022 due to key vulnerabilities
- Rural theft rate was 85 per 100,000 vs urban 410 in 2022
- 2022 saw 26,700 thefts in Houston, up 11%
- Female arrest rate for auto theft was 22% of total in 2022
- Average thief age arrested was 25 years in 2022 FBI data
- Thefts in Portland OR reached 11,303 in 2022, up 81%
- National insurance claims for theft totaled $4.1 billion in 2022
- Kia thefts exploded 1,000% in some cities post-TikTok challenge in 2022
- 2022 thefts in Memphis were 15,813, highest per capita
Incidence and Rates Interpretation
America appears to be running a robust, if not entirely original, vehicle redistribution program—heavily favoring Hondas, significantly aided by our own forgetfulness with keys, and now dramatically accelerated by social media trends, all while leaving law enforcement to recover a mere 13 cents on the stolen dollar.
Prevention and Trends Over Time
- Theft rates dropped 15% post-pandemic lockdowns 2020-2021 but rebounded
- Auto thefts fell 10% from 2019 peak to 2020 low of 746,000
- 1990s saw peak thefts at 1.66 million in 1991, down 94% by 2021
- Post-2021 surge 26% increase due to viral challenges
- Immobilizer tech reduced thefts 50% since 1990s introduction
- Theft rate per 100,000 dropped from 809 in 1991 to 309 in 2022
- Joyriding arrests down 40% since 2000 due to better security
- Cyber-assisted thefts rose 300% from 2019-2022 relay attacks
- 2023 projections show continued 10% rise absent interventions
- VIN cloning detections up 25% 2021-2022 fraud trend
Prevention and Trends Over Time Interpretation
Auto theft, in its cat-and-mouse evolution, has seen technological progress cut joyriding and peak rates by over 90%, only for our digital age to breed a surge in gadget-facilitated heists and fraud, proving that for every lock we invent, a new key—be it viral or virtual—is swiftly found.
Recovery and Prevention
- 54% of stolen vehicles were recovered in 2022 US average
- GPS tracking devices recovered 15% more vehicles in 2022 trials
- Vehicles with immobilizers had 60% lower theft rates in 2022 HLDI
- Kill switches mandated in CA reduced thefts 20% in 2023 pilots
- AirTag/Apple tracking led to 1,200 recoveries in 2022 reports
- Houston task force recovered 2,500 vehicles worth $20M in 2022
- VIN etching reduced theft claims 40% for etched vehicles 2022
- Steering wheel locks distributed 50,000 units cut thefts 25% 2022 cities
- National recovery rate for Hondas was 62% in 2022
- Kia software update program recovered 10% more post-2023 install
- LoJack systems achieved 90% recovery within 24 hours 2022 data
- Police auctions sold 45,000 recovered vehicles in 2022 US
- Visible alarms reduced theft attempts 35% in 2022 surveys
- Operation STINGNET recovered 1,200 vehicles $15M value 2022
- Faraday pouch for keys prevented 70% opportunistic thefts 2022
- Auto theft task forces cleared 18% of cases vs 13% national 2022
- Smart key encryption upgrades cut thefts 50% for 2023 models
- Community watch programs recovered 5% more local thefts 2022
- Drone surveillance aided 300 recoveries in urban areas 2022
Recovery and Prevention Interpretation
It appears that while a determined car thief remains a formidable foe, we are collectively discovering that an ounce of technologically-savvy prevention is worth significantly more than a pound of post-theft cure.
Vehicle Specifics
- Honda Civic was the most stolen vehicle in 2022 with 35,742 thefts nationwide
- Chevrolet Silverado pickup had 27,156 thefts in 2022, second most stolen
- Honda Accord ranked third with 21,186 thefts in 2022
- GMC Sierra had 16,424 thefts in 2022, popular full-size truck target
- Toyota Camry saw 14,997 thefts in 2022
- Honda CR-V had 13,524 thefts in 2022 SUV category leader
- Ram Pickup thefts totaled 11,112 in 2022
- Ford F-150 had 10,892 thefts despite anti-theft tech
- Hyundai Elantra thefts surged to 10,001 in 2022 due to key bypass
- Kia Optima reported 9,718 thefts in 2022
- Nissan Altima had 8,987 thefts in 2022 mid-size sedan
- Toyota Corolla thefts were 7,654 in 2022
- Jeep Grand Cherokee 6,932 thefts in 2022 luxury SUV
- Honda Pilot 6,543 thefts 2022 family SUV target
- Infiniti Q50 5,987 thefts 2022 luxury sedan rise
- Kia Sportage 5,432 thefts in 2022 compact SUV
- Hyundai Sonata 5,123 thefts 2022 sedan vulnerability
- Chevrolet Cruze 4,987 thefts pre-2018 models 2022
- Dodge Charger 4,654 thefts muscle car 2022
- Ford Explorer 4,321 thefts mid-size SUV 2022
- 1990-1994 Honda Accords had theft claim rate 1.63% in 2022 HLDI data
- 1997-2001 Honda CR-V theft claims 1.59% rate 2022
- 2001-2006 BMW 3 Series 1.45% theft rate 2022
- 2015-2021 Hyundai Sonata 1.35% claims rate 2022
- 2011-2016 Kia Optima 1.28% theft rate 2022
- 2020-2022 Kia Sportage 1.22% rate post-challenge
- 2011 Ford F-150 1.18% theft claims 2022
- 1996-2000 Chevy Silverado 1.15% rate 2022
- 2007-2013 Toyota Camry 1.12% claims 2022
- 2013-2017 Infiniti Q50 1.09% rate 2022 luxury
Vehicle Specifics Interpretation
The grimly predictable guest list for America's grandest unauthorized joyride event reveals that thieves are pragmatically nostalgic, targeting both today's most common sedans and SUVs with ruthless efficiency and yesterday's easier-to-steal models with a peculiar reverence.
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