15 Cities with the Most Car Theft [Study: Trends & Totals]

A recent trend disturbing American drivers is rising car theft. Car theft peaked in the early 1990s, then steadily decreased for nearly 30 years. Today, car theft is back on the rise, costing Americans and car insurance companies billions.

More than 810,000 cars were stolen in 2020, representing an 11% increase from the year before. While you might assume that cities like New York City, Chicago, and Los Angeles have the highest car theft rates, most big cities see surprisingly low numbers.

All cities have the risk of car theft, though. It can be difficult to know what to do if your car is stolen, but first, you can take steps to keep your car safe, like getting comprehensive insurance and parking in secure locations. However, your vehicle is always at risk of being nabbed by a thief.

However, some places are more at risk than others. Read on to explore which cities report stolen vehicles the most, and learn how you can protect your car from being stolen.

Which cities have the most car theft?

Nearly every city in America has seen increased car theft from 2019 to 2020, and experts expect the numbers will keep rising.

Visiting or living in a city with a large population exposes you to a higher chance of being a crime victim. When you consider the top 15 American cities for car theft, you can rank them by the number of cars stolen.

However, this doesn’t paint a good picture of how likely your car will get stolen. For example, thieves stole more than 2,500 cars in Austin, Texas, but that only represents a car theft rate of 261 cars for every 100,000 residents. On the other hand, Anchorage’s population is much smaller, but it has a high theft rate of 967. The kind of car you drive also affects the likelihood that it will be stolen. Driving one of the most stolen vehicles in America puts you at a higher risk.

From small rural towns to huge urban cities, all areas have a risk of car theft. Some cities are safer than others, and the 15 most dangerous places for car theft are listed below.

Rank	City	Theft Rate per 100,000 People	Total Number of Stolen Cars
1	Albuquerque, New Mexico	1,181	6,616
2	Oakland, California	1,179	5,071
3	Portland, Oregon	1,055	6,932
4	San Bernardino, California	1,006	2,194
5	Anchorage, Alaska	967	2,823
6	Detroit, Michigan	961	6,454
7	St. Louis, Missouri	896	2,750
8	Springfield, Missouri	872	1,470
9	Tacoma, Washington	870	1,877
10	Hayward, California	845	1,376
11	Tulsa, Oklahoma	808	3,259
12	Chattanooga, Tennessee	789	1,424
13	Salinas, California	774	1,227
14	Cleveland, Ohio	772	2,970
15	Des Moines, Iowa	772	2430

 

As you can see, some of the most dangerous places for car theft aren’t big cities. In fact, you might not have heard of many of the cities on this list because they’re so small.

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Cities With the Most Car Theft by State

Although all areas have car theft, some regions are safer than others. West Coast and Southwest states currently see the most car thefts, while Northeastern states see the least.

However, every state has a city with the most car theft. You can check your home state’s most dangerous city for theft below. Remember that these cities rank by theft rates, not the total number of cars stolen.

State	City	Theft Rate per 100,000 People
Alabama	Montgomery	489
Alaska	Anchorage	967
Arizona	Tucson	478
Arkansas	Little Rock	562
California	Oakland	1,179
Colorado	Denver	732
Connecticut	Bridgeport	407
Delaware	Wilmington	613
Florida	Fort Lauderdale	478
Georgia	Atlanta	667
Hawaii	Honolulu	427
Idaho	Boise	115
Illinois	Chicago	373
Indiana	Indianapolis	564
Iowa	Des Moines	772
Kansas	Wichita	708
Kentucky	Lexington	323
Louisiana	New Orleans	755
Maine	Bangor	195
Maryland	Baltimore	723
Massachusetts	Brockton	387
Michigan	Detroit	961
Minnesota	St. Paul	741
Mississippi	Jackson	636
Missouri	St. Louis	896
Montana	Billings	741
Nebraska	Omaha	665
Nevada	North Las Vegas	486
New Hampshire	Rochester	185
New Jersey	Newark	714
New Mexico	Albuquerque	1,181
New York	Syracuse	354
North Carolina	Charlotte	325
North Dakota	Fargo	366
Ohio	Cleveland	772
Oklahoma	Tulsa	808
Oregon	Portland	1,055
Pennsylvania	Philadelphia	358
Rhode Island	Providence	306
South Carolina	Charleston	237
South Dakota	Sioux Falls	302
Tennessee	Chattanooga	789
Texas	Dallas	709
Utah	Salt Lake City	737
Vermont	Burlington	39
Virginia	Norfolk	322
Washington	Tacoma	870
West Virginia	Charleston	419
Wisconsin	Milwaukee	770
Wyoming	Cheyenne	379

Although there are some outliers, you’ll notice that the riskiest cities in each state have a car theft rate of at least 300 cars per 100,000 people.

Which cities are safest for car theft?

While some cities struggle with car theft, others don’t have much of a problem. The following cities have the lowest rates of car theft.

State	City	Theft Rate per 100,000 People
Massachusetts	Franklin Town	2.9
New Jersey	Cliffside Park	3.8
New York	Haverstraw	8.1
New York	Long Beach	9
Massachusetts	Lexington	9.1
Massachusetts	North Andover	9.6
New Jersey	West Milford	11.4
Georgia	Milton	12.4
Michigan	Independence charter	13.4
Arkansas	Bella Vista	13.7

Most of these communities are in the Northwest, but they’re all smaller cities. Having a small population doesn’t guarantee your car will be safe from theft, but it does seem to lower the risk that you’ll cross paths with a thief.

How can you keep your car safe from theft?

Although car theft is on the rise, there are steps you can take to keep your car as safe as possible, including:

• Lock your doors. It’s easy to forget to lock your car, but it’s one of the simplest ways to keep your vehicle safe. Get in the habit of locking your car no matter how long you’ll be gone.
• Turn your car off. The goal is to keep your vehicle off a thief’s radar, and a running car is an easy target. Always turn your car off, even if you’re just running inside your home for a minute.
• Don’t leave your keys or purse. While it’s tempting to tuck belongings like keys, bags, or wallets into a spot you think is hidden, it only makes it easier for thieves to steal from you.
• Close the windows. Although it’s nice to have fresh air in your car, a small crack is enough opportunity for a thief.
• Park in a safe location. If you can, park in a closed garage or a lot with security. If that’s not possible, find a well-lit spot that’s not isolated.
• Install safety features. Not only do features like GPS tracking, audible alarms, and kill switches protect your car, but they also might make you eligible for an anti-theft discount on your insurance.
• Get comprehensive insurance. The only insurance type that covers theft is comprehensive car insurance.

Even if you have the safest car habits, you can still be a victim of theft. 

Comprehensive insurance is an excellent option for car owners who can’t afford to replace their car outright to ensure a thief doesn’t permanently rob you of your vehicle.

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Finding the Best Insurance in the Cities with the Most Car Theft

Keeping your car safe from theft is important no matter what city you live in, but it should be particularly important for people in the most dangerous cities. Comprehensive car insurance won’t stop a thief from taking your car, but it does keep you from replacing your vehicle out of pocket.

If you live in one of the most dangerous cities for car theft, you’ll see higher insurance rates. While comprehensive coverage is worth it, you should compare quotes with multiple companies to find the best rates possible.

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