Stealing your car is an unfortunate reality for many car owners. Auto theft has been steadily rising, with cases rising 28% between 2019 and 2023, according to the National Insurance Crimes Bureau (NICB).
The good news is that the trend is reversed. The NICB reported less than one million car thefts in 2024, representing the biggest decline in vehicle thefts in 40 years.
While car thefts are declining, there are still factors that could affect your risk. These factors and how the increased risk of theft can lead to higher car insurance costs and ways to reduce costs.
Subscribe to Kiplinger’s personal finances
Be smarter, better informed investors.
Save up to 74%
Sign up for Kiplinger’s free e-newsletter
Remember profits and prosperity with expert advice on investments, taxes, retirements, personal finances and more – directly to email.
Profit and prosperity with the advice of the best experts – directly to your email.
Highest and lowest automatic theft
Where you live is important when it is related to automatic theft.
Looking at the five states with the highest theft rate, we have all the data from these tables provided by the NICB.
#
state
2024 Theft
2023 Theft
1
Columbia area
842.4
1,149.71
2
California
463.21
534.49
3
New Mexico
458.24
489.67
4
Colorado
430.04
583.25
5
Nevada
394.42
572.7
Or, here are five areas where automatic theft was the highest last year:
Rank
state
Percent Change
1
Washington
-32%
2
Nevada
-31%
3
Oregon
-30%
4
Nebraska
-29%
5
Colorado
-26%
What’s surprising is that there are several states that overlap both categories. Colorado and Nevada are one of the most susceptible states to theft of automobiles. But both have witnessed a significant reduction in automatic theft.
In Colorado, all vehicle theft is a felony, irrespective of the value of the vehicle, under the law enacted in 2023. The law also repeatedly imposes hard punishments for criminals. Meanwhile, Nevada has witnessed success through enhanced law enforcement measures, including updating software in cars and educating the public about issuing freewheel locks to drivers.
10 Most Stolen Vehicles
In addition to where you live, the type of car you drive can attract more thieves.
Let’s take a look at the 10 most stolen vehicles last year.
Rank
Model
theft
1
Hyundai Elantra
48,445
2
Hyundai Sonata
42,813
3
Kia optima
30,204
4
Chevrolet Silverado 1500
23,721
5
Kia Soul
21,001
6
Honda Accord
20,895
7
Honda Civic
19,858
8
Chia Forte
16,209
9
Ford F150 Series Pickup
15,852
10
Kia Sportage
15,749
Older models of the Hyundai Elantra did not feature an engine immobilizer. These are the anti-theft measures used to prevent car burglars from bypassing the car’s ignition switch. Meanwhile, the Chevrolet Silverado was one of two picks to create a list. Later models are simply hot wires and the parts continue to be extremely valuable.
Having one of these vehicles increases the risk of your vehicle being stolen. And it may reflect what you pay for your car insurance. Two factors underwriters consider are your location and the type of vehicle you drive. If you live in a high-risk area or drive a vehicle that is susceptible to theft, you can cause your fare to skyrocket.
That’s why it’s essential to shop around a few weeks before your policy is updated to ensure you get the best deal.
In addition to shopping around providers, another way to reduce car insurance costs is to install anti-theft equipment in your car.
Actions to prevent automatic theft
Despite the reduced theft of a car, there are some actions you need to employ to reduce the risk of your car being stolen.
Most importantly, refrain from leaving valuable items in your car, such as expensive items such as money, keys, electronic devices, etc. that can induce a thief to consider it a crime of opportunity.
Another way to stop a burglar is to install anti-theft measures, such as a steering wheel lock. As the name suggests, it prevents your vehicle from spinning, making it an undesirable option for burglars looking for a quick score.
More sophisticated thieves use relay devices to access the car. Use a keyless entry system to target your car. Here you can activate or lock/unlock the car without a physical key.
Use the signal repeater to detect the signal in the key FOB. When intercepted, the signal will move to a device held by the thief, which can be used to unleash and activate the car.
One wise way to prevent burglars from achieving this is to use a Faraday box. These prevent burglars from accessing signals from your key FOB. And they are more durable than pouches and wear over time.
Overall, there is good news that automatic theft is slowing down significantly. Advances in anti-theft measures have made it even more difficult for burglars to access the vehicle.
By adopting these best practices, you can reduce the likelihood of targeting burglars. And you may earn an insurance discount in the process.
