by The number of car thefts last year decreased by 17% and returned to pre-pandemic levels. Last year, 850,708 vehicles were stolen in the United States, with California being one of the hot spots. Hyundai Elantra cars are the most stolen, closely followed by Sonata. The National Insurance Crime Bureau revealed that car thefts decreased to pre-pandemic levels after a rapid increase. This made national news and prompted some insurance companies to suspend or deny coverage.
However, the companies resolved the issue, which seems to have a significant impact, as car thefts decreased by 17% to 850,708 units last year. This is the largest annual decrease in the past 40 years, and the decline was so sharp that the number of thefts dropped below the 2020 level. Maine was the only state where car thefts increased by 2%. Elsewhere, the numbers fell, with significant decreases in Washington (-32%), Nevada (-31%), Oregon (-30%), Nebraska (-29%), and Colorado (-26%). This is good news, but thefts still remain a problem, especially in Washington.
The city had 842.4 thefts per 100,000 residents, which is three times the national average of 250.2 thefts. Following Washington was the state of California with 463.21 thefts per 100,000 residents. The top five are completed by New Mexico, Colorado, and Nevada. Regarding the most stolen cars, there is no need for announcements and drum rolls, as the first two spots went to Hyundai. The Hyundai Elantra received the dubious honorable award, with 31,712 thefts recorded in 2024.
The Hyundai Sonata was not far behind with 26,720 thefts, and Kia also broke into fifth place thanks to 17,493 stolen Optima sedans. This can serve as another reminder for Hyundai and Kia owners to update their vehicles. As a reminder, software updates prevent the car from being started without keys. While many customers took advantage of the company’s offer, around four million Hyundai cars in the United States were not equipped with push-button ignitions or anti-theft immobilizing devices. Overall, one of the simplest measures to prevent thefts is not to leave keys in the car.
It’s common sense, yet surprisingly, in 2015, the number of stolen cars with keys left in them reached an impressive figure of 57,096. Other measures that can be taken to prevent thefts include parking in a garage or a well-lit area. People should also lock the doors, close the windows, and remove valuables.
