The Dashboard:
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Historic 23% National Drop: Total thefts fell to 659,880, the lowest in decades, officially ending the pandemic-era crime surge.
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Top Targets: The Hyundai Elantra and Honda Accord remain the most stolen models, though Hyundai/Kia thefts dropped for the third straight year.
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Regional Success: Washington State (-39%) and Colorado (-35%) saw the biggest improvements, while Alaska was the only state to see an increase.
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Metro Hotspots: Over one-third of all thefts are concentrated in just 10 major cities, with California alone accounting for over 20% of the national total.
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Continuing Risk: Despite the massive decline, one vehicle is still stolen every 48 seconds, making lot security a non-negotiable for dealers.
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Vehicle thefts across the United States declined in 2025 to the lowest levels in several decades, marking a 23% decrease from 2024, according to a new analysis of reported thefts from the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), a not-for-profit organization dedicated to preventing and combating insurance crime.
A total of 659,880 vehicles were reported stolen nationwide last year, a historic low figure for U.S. vehicle thefts and a clear signal of the end of the pandemic-fueled surge in vehicle thefts, according to NICB. This past year’s decline in vehicle thefts follows a significant 17% drop in vehicle thefts in 2024 – previously the largest decrease in thefts in 40 years.
While the national decline is encouraging, vehicle theft remains a significant crime affecting hundreds of thousands of Americans each year. Even as this historic milestone is reached, one vehicle is still stolen every 48 seconds. In some urban areas, the risk of theft is even greater.
“Coordinated prevention efforts by law enforcement, auto manufacturers, insurance companies, and the National Insurance Crime Bureau are having a major impact on vehicle thefts nationwide,” said NICB President and CEO David J. Glawe. “But with several hundreds of thousands of vehicles stolen in a single year, vigilance and prevention efforts remain key to protecting families, businesses and communities nationwide.”
In 2025, several states saw substantial year-over-year decreases in their vehicle theft numbers. Washington State experienced the largest percentage decrease of any state with 39% less vehicles stolen in 2025 compared to 2024. Colorado and Puerto Rico followed closely with 35% and 34% declines in vehicle thefts.
Even as the United States overall experiences a decline in thefts, the crime remains heavily concentrated in large metropolitan areas. More than one-third of all vehicle thefts occurred in the top 10 Census-defined statistical areas with the highest volumes of theft.
California led the nation in vehicle theft rates among metropolitan areas. The San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont metro area (477.51 thefts per 100,000 people) and the Bakersfield-Delano area (477.27 thefts per 100,000 people) experienced the two highest theft rates of all metro areas with more than 1,000 thefts. These rates pushed the Memphis, Tennessee metro area – which previously suffered the worst vehicle theft rates – to third place at 427.75.
The Golden State also reported the highest number of vehicle thefts in 2025, with 136,988 vehicles stolen – contributing more than 20% of the nation’s total. Following California, Texas, Illinois, Florida and New York rounded out the top five states by volume of vehicle thefts.
The Hyundai Elantra remained the most stolen vehicle model in 2025, with 21,732 thefts reported nationwide, followed closely by the Honda Accord with 17,797 thefts.
Thefts involving Hyundai and Kia vehicles have continued to decline for the third consecutive year. These manufacturers account for 14% of all vehicle thefts in 2025, down from 16% in 2024 and 21% in 2023. The downward trend involving these top-targeted vehicles reflects the impact of software updates and theft-prevention measures implemented in response to the theft trend.
