Where Your Car Is Most Likely to Be Stolen in Every State
July 28, 2017 by Steven M. PetersMotor vehicle theft in the United States increased significantly in 2016, the first substantial increase in 15 years. Still, last year’s uptick is minuscule when compared to the overall downward trend in car thefts of the past quarter century. In fact, despite an increase of roughly 70 million registered vehicles nationwide since 1991, the 750,000 cars reported stolen in 2016 is less than half the peak of 25 years earlier.
Of course, where you live can increase or decrease the chances of your car getting stolen. 24/7 Wall St. determined the city in every state where your car is most likely to be stolen based on data from the National Insurance Crime Bureau.
The city with the highest rate of car thefts in a state is not necessarily the city with the poorest community or with the most widespread crime problems. The majority of these 50 cities have lower rates of poverty, higher household incomes, and higher educational attainment rates than their respective statewide rates.
Auto thefts in the United States are often carefully planned highly lucrative schemes for those who are able to evade law enforcement. According to the NICB, many cars are stolen by large organized crime rings running sizable operations.
Some cars are much more likely to be stolen than others. While expensive exotic cars may seem like the most efficient way to a large payout for a criminal, common cars like Honda Accord, Honda Civic, and Chevrolet and Ford pickup trucks are by far the most stolen vehicles in America. This is especially true of older models without modern security features.
Click here to see where your car is most likely to be stolen in every state.
To determine the city in every state where your car is likely to be stolen, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the vehicle theft rate in each metropolitan statistical area from the National Insurance Crime Bureau’s “2016 Hot Spots Vehicle Theft” report. Total vehicles reported stolen in 2016 in each city also came from this report. The most stolen car in each state is from the NICB’s “2016 Hot Wheels” report.
1. Alabama
> City with most car thefts: Mobile
> Vehicle theft rate: 375.6 per 100,000 residents
> Total vehicles stolen in 2016: 1,519
> Most stolen car in Alabama: 2004 Chevrolet Pickup (Full Size)
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2. Alaska
> City with most car thefts: Anchorage
> Vehicle theft rate: 669.4 per 100,000 residents
> Total vehicles stolen in 2016: 2,273
> Most stolen car in Alaska: 1999 Chevrolet Pickup (Full Size)
3. Arizona
> City with most car thefts: Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale
> Vehicle theft rate: 397.2 per 100,000 residents
> Total vehicles stolen in 2016: 13,435
> Most stolen car in Arizona: 1998 Honda Civic
4. Arkansas
> City with most car thefts: Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway
> Vehicle theft rate: 488.1 per 100,000 residents
> Total vehicles stolen in 2016: 3,253
> Most stolen car in Arkansas: 1994 Chevrolet Pickup (Full Size)
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5. California
> City with most car thefts: Bakersfield
> Vehicle theft rate: 854.7 per 100,000 residents
> Total vehicles stolen in 2016: 7,176
> Most stolen car in California: 1998 Honda Civic
6. Colorado
> City with most car thefts: Pueblo
> Vehicle theft rate: 899.4 per 100,000 residents
> Total vehicles stolen in 2016: 1,325
> Most stolen car in Colorado: 1997 Honda Accord
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7. Connecticut
> City with most car thefts: New Haven-Milford
> Vehicle theft rate: 271.3 per 100,000 residents
> Total vehicles stolen in 2016: 2,294
> Most stolen car in Connecticut: 2000 Honda Civic
8. Delaware
> City with most car thefts: Dover
> Vehicle theft rate: 125.1 per 100,000 residents
> Total vehicles stolen in 2016: 217
> Most stolen car in Delaware: 1997 Honda Accord
9. Florida
> City with most car thefts: Tallahassee
> Vehicle theft rate: 406.0 per 100,000 residents
> Total vehicles stolen in 2016: 1,345
> Most stolen car in Florida: 2006 Ford Pickup (Full Size)
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10. Georgia
> City with most car thefts: Savannah
> Vehicle theft rate: 380.8 per 100,000 residents
> Total vehicles stolen in 2016: 1,254
> Most stolen car in Georgia: 2004 Ford Pickup (Full Size)
11. Hawaii
> City with most car thefts: Honolulu (Urban)
> Vehicle theft rate: 314.1 per 100,000 residents
> Total vehicles stolen in 2016: 3,067
> Most stolen car in Hawaii: 2000 Honda Civic
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12. Idaho
> City with most car thefts: Pocatello
> Vehicle theft rate: 187.1 per 100,000 residents
> Total vehicles stolen in 2016: 158
> Most stolen car in Idaho: 2000 Ford Pickup (Full Size)
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13. Illinois
> City with most car thefts: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin
> Vehicle theft rate: 241.6 per 100,000 residents
> Total vehicles stolen in 2016: 22,853
> Most stolen car in Illinois: 2003 Dodge Caravan
14. Indiana
> City with most car thefts: Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson
> Vehicle theft rate: 381.1 per 100,000 residents
> Total vehicles stolen in 2016: 7,579
> Most stolen car in Indiana: 1999 Ford Pickup (Full Size)
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15. Iowa
> City with most car thefts: Des Moines-West Des Moines
> Vehicle theft rate: 268.4 per 100,000 residents
> Total vehicles stolen in 2016: 1,402
> Most stolen car in Iowa: 2005 Chevrolet Pickup (Full Size)
16. Kansas
> City with most car thefts: Topeka
> Vehicle theft rate: 500.4 per 100,000 residents
> Total vehicles stolen in 2016: 1,139
> Most stolen car in Kansas: 2000 Chevrolet Pickup (Full Size)
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17. Kentucky
> City with most car thefts: Louisville/Jefferson County
> Vehicle theft rate: 411.2 per 100,000 residents
> Total vehicles stolen in 2016: 5,073
> Most stolen car in Kentucky: 1997 Ford Pickup (Full Size)
18. Louisiana
> City with most car thefts: Lake Charles
> Vehicle theft rate: 330.2 per 100,000 residents
> Total vehicles stolen in 2016: 641
> Most stolen car in Louisiana: 2006 Chevrolet Pickup (Full Size)
19. Maine
> City with most car thefts: Lewiston-Auburn
> Vehicle theft rate: 57.5 per 100,000 residents
> Total vehicles stolen in 2016: 61
> Most stolen car in Maine: 2002 Chevrolet Pickup (Full Size)
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20. Maryland
> City with most car thefts: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson
> Vehicle theft rate: 310.0 per 100,000 residents
> Total vehicles stolen in 2016: 8,271
> Most stolen car in Maryland: 2012 Honda Accord
21. Massachusetts
> City with most car thefts: Springfield
> Vehicle theft rate: 160.8 per 100,000 residents
> Total vehicles stolen in 2016: 1,016
> Most stolen car in Massachusetts: 1997 Honda Accord
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22. Michigan
> City with most car thefts: Detroit-Warren-Dearborn
> Vehicle theft rate: 319.3 per 100,000 residents
> Total vehicles stolen in 2016: 13,712
> Most stolen car in Michigan: 2008 Chevrolet Impala
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23. Minnesota
> City with most car thefts: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington
> Vehicle theft rate: 241.2 per 100,000 residents
> Total vehicles stolen in 2016: 7,580
> Most stolen car in Minnesota: 1997 Honda Accord
24. Mississippi
> City with most car thefts: Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula
> Vehicle theft rate: 413.3 per 100,000 residents
> Total vehicles stolen in 2016: 1,045
> Most stolen car in Mississippi: 2005 Chevrolet Pickup (Full Size)
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25. Missouri
> City with most car thefts: St. Joseph
> Vehicle theft rate: 509.5 per 100,000 residents
> Total vehicles stolen in 2016: 651
> Most stolen car in Missouri: 2004 Ford Pickup (Full Size)
26. Montana
> City with most car thefts: Billings
> Vehicle theft rate: 625.4 per 100,000 residents
> Total vehicles stolen in 2016: 877
> Most stolen car in Montana: 2006 Chevrolet Pickup (Full Size)
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27. Nebraska
> City with most car thefts: Omaha-Council Bluffs
> Vehicle theft rate: 410.0 per 100,000 residents
> Total vehicles stolen in 2016: 3,483
> Most stolen car in Nebraska: 2000 Chevrolet Pickup (Full Size)
28. Nevada
> City with most car thefts: Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise
> Vehicle theft rate: 582.2 per 100,000 residents
> Total vehicles stolen in 2016: 11,469
> Most stolen car in Nevada: 1997 Honda Accord
29. New Hampshire
> City with most car thefts: Manchester-Nashua
> Vehicle theft rate: 56.7 per 100,000 residents
> Total vehicles stolen in 2016: 227
> Most stolen car in New Hampshire: 2012 Honda Accord
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30. New Jersey
> City with most car thefts: Trenton
> Vehicle theft rate: 196.0 per 100,000 residents
> Total vehicles stolen in 2016: 695
> Most stolen car in New Jersey: 1996 Honda Accord
31. New Mexico
> City with most car thefts: Albuquerque
> Vehicle theft rate: 1,114.0 per 100,000 residents
> Total vehicles stolen in 2016: 10,011
> Most stolen car in New Mexico: 2004 Ford Pickup (Full Size)
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32. New York
> City with most car thefts: Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls
> Vehicle theft rate: 135.0 per 100,000 residents
> Total vehicles stolen in 2016: 1,518
> Most stolen car in New York: 1997 Honda Accord
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33. North Carolina
> City with most car thefts: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia
> Vehicle theft rate: 331.6 per 100,000 residents
> Total vehicles stolen in 2016: 5,044
> Most stolen car in North Carolina: 1997 Honda Accord
34. North Dakota
> City with most car thefts: Bismarck
> Vehicle theft rate: 288.7 per 100,000 residents
> Total vehicles stolen in 2016: 314
> Most stolen car in North Dakota: 1999 Chevrolet Pickup (Full Size)
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35. Ohio
> City with most car thefts: Cleveland-Elyria
> Vehicle theft rate: 313.5 per 100,000 residents
> Total vehicles stolen in 2016: 6,689
> Most stolen car in Ohio: 2002 Dodge Caravan
36. Oklahoma
> City with most car thefts: Tulsa
> Vehicle theft rate: 582.0 per 100,000 residents
> Total vehicles stolen in 2016: 5,126
> Most stolen car in Oklahoma: 1994 Chevrolet Pickup (Full Size)
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37. Oregon
> City with most car thefts: Grants Pass
> Vehicle theft rate: 439.4 per 100,000 residents
> Total vehicles stolen in 2016: 356
> Most stolen car in Oregon: 1997 Honda Accord
38. Pennsylvania
> City with most car thefts: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington
> Vehicle theft rate: 177.4 per 100,000 residents
> Total vehicles stolen in 2016: 10,769
> Most stolen car in Pennsylvania: 1997 Honda Accord
39. Rhode Island
> City with most car thefts: Providence-Warwick
> Vehicle theft rate: 157.3 per 100,000 residents
> Total vehicles stolen in 2016: 2,511
> Most stolen car in Rhode Island: 1997 Toyota Camry
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40. South Carolina
> City with most car thefts: Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin
> Vehicle theft rate: 561.0 per 100,000 residents
> Total vehicles stolen in 2016: 3,186
> Most stolen car in South Carolina: 2006 Ford Pickup (Full Size)
41. South Dakota
> City with most car thefts: Rapid City
> Vehicle theft rate: 245.4 per 100,000 residents
> Total vehicles stolen in 2016: 315
> Most stolen car in South Dakota: 2001 Chevrolet Pickup (Full Size)
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42. Tennessee
> City with most car thefts: Chattanooga
> Vehicle theft rate: 347.2 per 100,000 residents
> Total vehicles stolen in 2016: 1,881
> Most stolen car in Tennessee: 1999 Chevrolet Pickup (Full Size)
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43. Texas
> City with most car thefts: Odessa
> Vehicle theft rate: 540.5 per 100,000 residents
> Total vehicles stolen in 2016: 780
> Most stolen car in Texas: 2006 Ford Pickup (Full Size)
44. Utah
> City with most car thefts: Salt Lake City
> Vehicle theft rate: 585.7 per 100,000 residents
> Total vehicles stolen in 2016: 6,712
> Most stolen car in Utah: 1997 Honda Accord
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45. Vermont
> City with most car thefts: Burlington-South Burlington
> Vehicle theft rate: 61.3 per 100,000 residents
> Total vehicles stolen in 2016: 133
> Most stolen car in Vermont: 2003 Chevrolet Pickup (Full Size)
46. Virginia
> City with most car thefts: Richmond
> Vehicle theft rate: 227.7 per 100,000 residents
> Total vehicles stolen in 2016: 2,791
> Most stolen car in Virginia: 2002 Honda Accord
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47. Washington
> City with most car thefts: Spokane-Spokane Valley
> Vehicle theft rate: 624.8 per 100,000 residents
> Total vehicles stolen in 2016: 2,891
> Most stolen car in Washington: 1997 Honda Accord
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48. West Virginia
> City with most car thefts: Charleston
> Vehicle theft rate: 335.9 per 100,000 residents
> Total vehicles stolen in 2016: 1,022
> Most stolen car in West Virginia: 2003 Ford Pickup (Full Size)
49. Wisconsin
> City with most car thefts: Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis
> Vehicle theft rate: 421.8 per 100,000 residents
> Total vehicles stolen in 2016: 6,632
> Most stolen car in Wisconsin: 2002 Dodge Caravan
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50. Wyoming
> City with most car thefts: Cheyenne
> Vehicle theft rate: 267.6 per 100,000 residents
> Total vehicles stolen in 2016: 248
> Most stolen car in Wyoming: 2001 Chevrolet Pickup (Full Size)
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