Auto Theft Statistics
"Vehicles are stolen intentionally, not accidentally and auto theft constitutes a significant economic loss to society."
What Are The Top 10 Stolen Vehicles In Your State?Although vehicle theft is primarily a crime of opportunity, perpetrators often favor particular makes and models. The following lists rank, according to information received available by the NICB (National Insurance Crime Bureau) the ten most common vehicles stolen in the state of occurrence. The NICB studies on auto theft reads loud and clear. Thieves still have their favorites when it comes to auto theft. Unfortunately, the most popular vehicles for thieves are also the most popular vehicles for consumers. As a result, the NICB reports that drivers of theft prone vehicles must take additional anti-theft measures to ensure the security of the vehicle.
Note: These studies are based on millions of motor vehicle thefts reported to the National Crime Information Center by law enforcement agencies nationwide.
What Are the Top 10 Stolen Vehicles in Your State?
The Hard Facts & Stats
Thieves typically choose these vehicles because of their huge profit potential when the cars are stripped down to their components, which then supply a vast black market for stolen parts.-
Hundreds of thousands of stolen U.S. vehicles are shipped overseas or driven across U.S. borders each year.
-
Vehicle theft is the costliest property crime in the U.S., costing consumers more than $8.2 billion annually.
-
Newer models are more likely to be illegally shipped abroad, while older vehicles are mainly stolen for their parts.
-
The popularity of Mini Vans, Pickups, Trucks, and Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) is making them an increasingly attractive target for thieves.
-
Most chop shop operators make two to four times a vehicles actual worth by selling its parts separately.
-
Most skilled chop shop operators can surgically strip a car in less than 30 minutes.
-
Thousands of vehicles worth hundreds of millions are stolen and taken to Mexico every year.
-
Export rings meet the demand for American-made cars, trucks, and utility vehicle in developing countries by stealing vehicles from the U.S. and shipping them across international borders and overseas for resale.
-
Nearly 40% of all vehicle thefts occur in or near ports or border communities.
-
See what are the ten-cities/metropolitan areas (MSAs) with the highest vehicle theft rates:
-
Theft is higher at port areas because thieves can easily ship or drive vehicles across borders and then sell them on the black market in other countries.
-
Every year, close to 450,000 cars and trucks were stolen nationwide in metropolitan areas with ports or in those close to international borders.
TAKE THE LAYERED VEHICLE PROTECTION TEST
Take this test, add up your score and compare your results with the level of protection recommended for your vehicle and location.
National Vehicle Theft Facts & StatsThis is the most recent and publicly available information.
Federal Bureau of Investigation (Uniform Crime Report) - www.fbi.gov
Highway Loss Data Institute- www.carsafety.org
National Insurance Crime Bureau - www.nicb.orgInsurance Information Institute - www.iii.org
CCC Information Services - www.cccis.com
Auto Theft-
Carjacking accounts for about 3.0% of all motor vehicle thefts nationwide.
-
The odds of a vehicle being stolen were 1 in 190.
-
Weapons were used in about 90% of carjackings.
-
Thieves tend to put more time and effort into stealing very popular cars.
Law enforcement agencies and prosecutors issued the press releases viewable at the above link regarding specific insurance fraud or vehicle theft case. The NICB does not participate in creating these news releases.
Key Stats
- Every 27 seconds, a motor vehicle is stolen in the United States.
- The odds of a vehicle being stolen were 1 in 196 in 2000.
- The odds are highest in urban areas.
- Only 14.1 percent of thefts were cleared by arrests in 2000.
- The FBI's 2002 Uniform Crime Report (UCR - released October 27, 2003) indicates there were more than 1.2 million motor vehicle thefts in the United States in 2002 with an estimated value of approximately $8.4 billion dollars.
- Sixty-five percent (65%) of stolen vehicles were recovered in 2002 in the United States
- Carjackings occur most frequently in urban areas. However, nationwide, they account for only 3.5 percent of all motor vehicle thefts.
- The U.S. average comprehensive insurance premium rose 9.0 percent from 1995 to 1999, the most recent data available.
|
Frequency of Theft | |
|
Class/Model |
Theft Frequency (claims per 1,000 insured vehicle years) |
|
Cadillac Escalade 4WD |
10.3 |
|
Dodge Stratus |
8.7 |
|
Mitsubishi Mirage |
7.2 |
|
Jeep Wrangler 4WD |
7.2 |
|
Lincoln Navigator 2WD |
6.6 |
|
Dodge Intrepid |
5.8 |
|
Lincoln Navigator 4WD |
5.7 |
|
Dodge Ram 1500 |
5.6 |
|
Ford Expedition 2WD |
5.6 |
|
Chrysler Sebring |
5.5 |
|
Average for all vehicles |
2.6 |
|
Overall Average Theft Claims | |
|
Class/Model |
Avgerage. Theft Payment per Insured Vehicle Year* |
|
Cadillac Escalade 4WD |
$167 |
|
Chevrolet Corvette convertible |
$75 |
|
Lincoln Navigator 4WD |
$71 |
|
BMW X5 4WD |
$67 |
|
BMW 3-series convertible |
$63 |
|
Lincoln Navigator 2WD |
$62 |
|
Lexus LX-series 4WD |
$61 |
|
Chevrolet Corvette |
$59 |
|
Lexus IS 300 |
$59 |
|
Audi A4/S4 Quattro |
$55 |
|
Average for all vehicles |
$15 |
*An "insured vehicle year" represents one vehicle covered by insurance for one year. For example, 4 cars insured for two years would make for eight insured vehicle years.
In the bottom table, the amount shown was calculated by dividing the total amount paid in theft claims by the total amount of insured vehicle years for each vehicle. The total number of insured vehicles includes, of course, vehicles for which no theft claim was ever filed.
In that way, the number is affected by both the number of vehicles stolen out of the total number of vehicles, and the value of each vehicle stolen. The more vehicles that are stolen as a portion of the total number insured, and the more expensive each vehicle is, the higher the final figure will be.
For more studies by the Highway Loss Data Institute
http://www.hwysafety.org/default.htm
The ten most commonly stolen vehicles in the United States in 2001:
Rank Make and Model
1 Toyota Camry
2 Honda Accord
3 Honda Civic
4 Oldsmobile Cutlass/Supreme/Ciera
5 Jeep Cherokee/Grand Cherokee
6 Chevrolet Full Size C/K Pickup
7 Toyota Corolla
8 Ford Taurus
9 Chevrolet Caprice
10 Ford F150 Pickup
Source: National Insurance Crime Bureau
Click here for a listing of top stolen cars by area
Click here for NICB's listing of Most Commonly Stolen Vehicles in 2001
Vehicle Recovery Rates
The FBI conducted a study of 1999 stolen car thefts and recoveries using data from the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) and the National Crime Information Center (NCIC), which analyzed and tabulated motor vehicle theft and recovery by day of the week, month of the year, and location of the incident.
The two days with the highest frequency of motor vehicle theft are Friday (15.69 percent for NIBRS and 14.97 percent for NCIC) and Saturday (16.13 percent for NIBRS and 14.24 percent for NCIC). The days that show the highest recovery rates are Monday (15.92 percent for NIBRS and 16.08 percent for NCIC) and Tuesday (15.74 percent for NIBRS and 16.42 percent for NCIC).
Click here for more information on when and where vehicles are most likely to be stolen.
Cost of Auto Theft
According to the FBI, the estimated value of motor vehicles stolen in the United States in 2000 was almost $7.8 billion, up from $7 billion in 1999. The average value of each motor vehicle stolen in 2000 was $6,682, up 9.5 percent from $6,104 in 1999.
2000 Theft Statistics: After eight straight years of annual decreases, motor vehicle thefts in the United States increased in 2000 from 1999. According to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reports, 1,165,559 motor vehicles were stolen in 2000, up 1.2 percent from 1,152,075 in 1999. But because there are more vehicles on the road, the odds of a motor vehicle being stolen in the United States improved from one in 189 registered vehicles in 1999 to one in 196 registered vehicles in 2000. Increases in motor vehicle theft in 2000 were reported only in the West and Midwest. The greatest increase, 7.1 percent, occurred in the West and the midwestern states reported a rise of 0.9 percent. Motor vehicle thefts declined 2.9 percent and 1.3 percent in the Northeast and the South, respectively.
Submit statistics from your department
The Hard Facts
Not the Hype
Do you like this website? Tell your friends about it!
