Statistics · Updated November 1, 2026

Car Theft Statistics 2026

Includes NICB data for the first half of 2026 and the FBI's 2025 crime data

  • 76statistics
  • 27sources from 10 publishers
  • Checkedevery figure against its original source
  • FreeCSV download and ready-made citations

Compiled by the RevRated research desk from the FBI, the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI), NHTSA and Carfax data.

NICB counted 659,880 vehicles reported stolen in the United States in 2025, down from 850,708 in 2024. The FBI's estimate for 2025 is 673,466. Thefts kept falling in 2026: NICB counted 268,415 in the first half, down 21%. Below, each source's figures sit side by side, with what each one measures.

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Key findings

  1. 673,466

    The FBI estimates that 673,466 motor vehicle thefts were known to police in the United States in 2025, its national estimate in Crime in the United States 2025.

    FBI, Crime in the United States 2025, CIUS Estimations Table 1 (Crime Data Explorer downloads, CIUS Estimations 2025) · 2025 data

    Details
  2. 659,880

    NICB counted 659,880 vehicles reported stolen in the United States in 2025, which it calls a historic low.

    National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), 2025 Vehicle Theft Report news release · 2025 data

    Details
  3. 21,732

    The Hyundai Elantra was the most stolen vehicle model in the United States in 2025, with 21,732 thefts reported nationwide, according to NICB's count of vehicles reported stolen to law enforcement.

    National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), 2025 Vehicle Theft Report news release · 2025 data

    Details
  4. 268,415

    NICB counted 268,415 vehicle thefts reported to law enforcement in the United States in the first six months of 2026, down 21% from the first half of 2025.

    National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), U.S. Vehicle Thefts Fall 21% in First Half of 2026 · January to June 2026 data

    Details
  5. 21%

    NICB says 21% of the more than 642,000 vehicles stolen in the United States in 2025 were not recovered.

    National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), Prevent Vehicle Theft · 2025 data

    Details
  6. 14%

    Hyundai and Kia vehicles made up 14% of all U.S. vehicle thefts in 2025, down from 16% in 2024 and 21% in 2023, the third straight year of decline, according to NICB.

    National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), 2025 Vehicle Theft Report news release · 2025 data

    Details
  7. 137,000

    Carfax estimates that more than 137,000 catalytic converters were stolen in the United States in 2025, down from the peak of thefts in 2023.

    Carfax, Catalytic Converter Theft: 10 Most Targeted Vehicles (June 2026) · 2025 data

    Details
  8. 10.5%

    Police cleared just 10.5% of motor vehicle thefts in the United States in 2025, compared with 17.4% of burglaries and 18.6% of larceny-thefts, according to the FBI.

    FBI, Reported Crimes in the Nation, 2025: Quick Stats · 2025 data

    Details
  9. 75%

    Households reported 75% of motor vehicle thefts to police in 2024, the highest reporting rate of any property crime in the BJS National Crime Victimization Survey.

    Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), Criminal Victimization, 2024, Table 4 · 2024 data

    Details

How many cars are stolen each year?

Two national counts exist. The FBI estimates motor vehicle thefts known to police nationwide, and NICB counts vehicles reported stolen in the FBI's NCIC database. Both put 2025 near 660,000 to 675,000.

What are the most stolen cars in America?

Two measures answer this. NICB counts how many of each model were reported stolen to police (raw counts, which favor popular cars), while HLDI ranks newer models by insurance theft claims relative to how many are insured (claim frequency, not counts).

Most stolen vehicle models in the U.S., 2025, by number of vehicles reported stolen (NICB).
  • Hyundai Elantra 21,732
  • Honda Accord 17,797
  • Hyundai Sonata 17,687
  • Silverado 1500 16,764
  • Honda Civic 12,725
  • Kia Optima 11,521
  • Ford F150 10,102
  • Toyota Camry 9,833
  • Honda CR-V 9,809
  • Nissan Altima 8,445

Source: National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), 2025 Vehicle Theft Report news release. Chart: RevRated, free to reuse with a link to this page.

Show chart data
Hyundai Elantra21,732
Honda Accord17,797
Hyundai Sonata17,687
Silverado 150016,764
Honda Civic12,725
Kia Optima11,521
Ford F15010,102
Toyota Camry9,833
Honda CR-V9,809
Nissan Altima8,445
Top 10 most stolen vehicle models in the U.S., 2025, vehicles reported stolen to law enforcement (NICB). NICB's release does not break thefts out by model year.
RankVehicleThefts, 2025
1Hyundai Elantra21,732
2Honda Accord17,797
3Hyundai Sonata17,687
4Chevrolet Silverado 150016,764
5Honda Civic12,725
6Kia Optima11,521
7Ford F15010,102
8Toyota Camry9,833
9Honda CR-V9,809
10Nissan Altima8,445

Source: National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), 2025 Vehicle Theft Report news release

Are car thefts going up or down?

Down, sharply. Thefts surged from 2019 to a 2023 peak, then fell for two straight years. FBI estimates show the long trend, and NICB and the Council on Criminal Justice show 2026 so far.

Estimated motor vehicle thefts known to police, United States, 2016 to 2025 (FBI national estimates). The FBI says 2021 estimates are not comparable to other years.
0 500K 1M 1.5M 2016 765,043 2018 2020 2022 1,078,227 2025 673,466 0 500K 1M 1.5M 2016 765,043 2019 2022 1,078,227 2025 673,466

Source: FBI, Crime in the United States 2025, CIUS Estimations Table 1 (Crime Data Explorer downloads, CIUS Estimations 2025). Chart: RevRated, free to reuse with a link to this page.

Show chart data
2016765,043
2017764,128
2018743,717
2019708,858
2020803,275
2021801,753
2022946,648
20231,078,227
2024870,686
2025673,466

Which states have the most car thefts?

FBI estimates for 2025 by state, ranked by thefts per 100,000 residents. NICB's state counts, which use a different source, are listed separately.

Highest estimated motor vehicle theft rates per 100,000 inhabitants, 2025, 50 states and D.C. (FBI).
  • D.C. 673.8
  • Nevada 396.5
  • New Mexico 320.9
  • California 316.7
  • Maryland 315.6
  • Colorado 305.0
  • Missouri 293.1
  • Hawaii 282.2
  • Alaska 278.9
  • Washington 259.0

Source: FBI, Crime in the United States 2025, CIUS Estimations Table 4 (Crime Data Explorer downloads, CIUS Estimations 2025). Chart: RevRated, free to reuse with a link to this page.

Show chart data
D.C.673.8
Nevada396.5
New Mexico320.9
California316.7
Maryland315.6
Colorado305.0
Missouri293.1
Hawaii282.2
Alaska278.9
Washington259.0
Estimated motor vehicle thefts and rate per 100,000 inhabitants by state, 2025, sorted by rate (FBI). Florida and North Dakota had limited 2025 data.
StateMotor vehicle thefts, 2025Rate per 100,000
District of Columbia4,674673.8
Nevada13,015396.5
New Mexico6,820320.9
California124,629316.7
Maryland19,772315.6
Colorado18,337305.0
Missouri18,376293.1
Hawaii4,043282.2
Alaska2,056278.9
Washington20,724259.0
Texas78,695248.2
Illinois30,257237.9
Tennessee16,560226.4
Kansas6,414215.4
Oregon9,185214.9
North Carolina22,802203.6
Oklahoma8,036194.9
Kentucky8,828191.6
Delaware1,992187.9
Pennsylvania24,352186.5
Nebraska3,737185.2
Michigan18,652184.2
Arizona14,005183.7
Louisiana8,388181.6
Ohio21,541181.0
Connecticut6,306171.0
Minnesota9,622165.0
Georgia18,472163.4
South Carolina9,034162.2
Alabama8,351160.8
North Dakota (limited data)1,227153.5
New Jersey13,910145.7
Indiana9,930142.4
Arkansas4,400141.3
Mississippi4,087138.3
Montana1,571137.2
South Dakota1,250133.7
Wisconsin7,877131.9
New York25,162125.8
Iowa3,800117.3
Virginia9,958112.1
Utah3,910110.5
Rhode Island1,167104.7
Massachusetts6,29788.0
Wyoming46178.3
Florida (limited data)16,64670.9
West Virginia1,16966.2
Maine83959.3
New Hampshire75453.3
Idaho1,06852.6
Vermont30847.8

Source: FBI, Crime in the United States 2025, CIUS Estimations Table 4 (Crime Data Explorer downloads, CIUS Estimations 2025)

Which cities have the most car thefts?

NICB ranks metro areas (Census CBSAs) by vehicles reported stolen. Los Angeles leads on volume, while San Francisco and Bakersfield lead on rate.

Top 10 metro areas by vehicles reported stolen in 2025, with first-half 2026 thefts and change from the first half of 2025 (NICB). 2025 columns from NICB's 2025 Vehicle Theft Report release; first-half 2026 columns from NICB's September 30, 2026 release.
Metro areaThefts, 2025Thefts, Jan to Jun 2026Change vs Jan to Jun 2025
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA53,91121,540-23%
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ27,13811,306-16%
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN24,29911,761+2%
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX23,65910,008-18%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA22,1979,825-14%
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX21,6388,212-30%
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD19,1178,056-11%
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV15,2045,717-31%
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA14,1115,937-20%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA12,6844,834-27%

Source: National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), 2025 Vehicle Theft Report and first-half 2026 update

What percentage of stolen cars are recovered?

NICB counts stolen vehicles and whether they turn up again. The FBI measures recovery a different way: the dollar value of locally stolen vehicles that police got back.

Percent of the dollar value of locally stolen motor vehicles recovered, United States, 2022 to 2025. FBI, offenses known to reporting agencies (agency count varies by year).
  • 2022 46.1%
  • 2023 52.0%
  • 2024 51.4%
  • 2025 44.2%

Source: FBI, Crime in the United States, 2022 to 2025 editions, Table 24 (Property Stolen and Recovered). Chart: RevRated, free to reuse with a link to this page.

Show chart data
202246.1%
202352.0%
202451.4%
202544.2%

What happened with Hyundai and Kia thefts?

Many 2011-22 Hyundai and Kia models were sold without engine immobilizers, and theft videos on social media made them easy targets from 2021. This section uses NICB theft counts, HLDI insurance claim frequencies and NHTSA's figures on the free software fix.

Hyundai and Kia share of all U.S. vehicles reported stolen, 2023 to 2025 (NICB).
  • 2023 21%
  • 2024 16%
  • 2025 14%

Source: National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), 2025 Vehicle Theft Report news release. Chart: RevRated, free to reuse with a link to this page.

Show chart data
202321%
202416%
202514%
Reported thefts of three heavily targeted Hyundai and Kia models in the U.S., 2023 to 2025 (NICB annual most stolen lists).
ModelThefts, 2023Thefts, 2024Thefts, 2025
Hyundai Elantra48,44531,71221,732
Hyundai Sonata42,81326,72017,687
Kia Optima30,20417,49311,521

Source: National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), most stolen vehicles lists in its 2023, 2024 and 2025 vehicle theft releases

How common is catalytic converter theft?

No single count exists. Carfax estimates thefts from its own vehicle data, NICB counted insurance claims, and State Farm reports its own claims, so the three numbers are not comparable with each other.

Catalytic converter theft claims filed with State Farm, 2019 to 2023 (one insurer's claims, not a national count).
  • 2019 2,500
  • 2020 10,000
  • 2021 32,000
  • 2022 45,000
  • 2023 21,200

Source: State Farm newsroom, State Farm data reveals 74 percent drop in catalytic converter thefts. Chart: RevRated, free to reuse with a link to this page.

Show chart data
20192,500
202010,000
202132,000
202245,000
202321,200
Vehicles most frequently targeted for catalytic converter theft nationwide, Carfax, June 2026.
RankVehicleType
1Ford F-150Pickup truck
2Hyundai TucsonSUV
3Ford ExplorerSUV
4Ram 2500Heavy-duty pickup
5Chevrolet SilveradoPickup truck
6Chevrolet TraverseSUV
7Ram 3500Heavy-duty pickup
8Ford EcoSportSUV
9Ford ExpeditionSUV
10Chevrolet TraxSUV

Source: Carfax press release, CARFAX: Top 10 Vehicles Targeted by Recent Catalytic Converters Thefts

How and when are cars stolen?

NICB's figures here come from vehicles reported stolen to the National Crime Information Center, including its studies of thefts with keys or fobs left inside.

How much do car thefts cost?

Two measures: the FBI's average and total value of vehicles stolen, from police reports, and HLDI's average insurance payment per whole-vehicle theft claim on newer models.

Whole-vehicle theft insurance losses by vehicle type, 2022 to 2024 model years, United States. Claim frequency is claims per 1,000 insured vehicle years.
Vehicle typeClaim frequencyAverage claimLoss per insured vehicle year
Passenger cars0.47$43,934$20
Pickups0.91$66,984$61
SUVs0.31$48,750$15
All passenger vehicles0.45$53,217$24

Source: Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI), Whole vehicle theft losses, WT-24, Table 1

How many car thefts are solved?

The FBI counts an offense as cleared when police make an arrest or close it by exceptional means. These figures cover thefts known to reporting agencies.

Percent of offenses cleared by arrest or exceptional means, United States, 2025. FBI, offenses known to 16,429 reporting agencies.
  • Vehicle theft 10.5%
  • Burglary 17.4%
  • Larceny 18.6%
  • All property 17.4%
  • Violent crime 47.4%

Source: FBI, Crime in the United States, 2025, Table 25. Chart: RevRated, free to reuse with a link to this page.

Show chart data
Vehicle theft10.5%
Burglary17.4%
Larceny18.6%
All property17.4%
Violent crime47.4%
Motor vehicle thefts known to reporting agencies and percent cleared, United States, 2022 to 2025 (FBI).
YearThefts known to policePercent clearedAgencies reporting
2022901,2069.3%14,719
20231,028,0618.2%15,383
2024834,2069.2%16,102
2025654,27610.5%16,429

Source: FBI, Crime in the United States, 2022 to 2025 editions, Table 25

How many car thefts are reported to police?

These figures come from the BJS National Crime Victimization Survey, which asks households about thefts whether or not they called police. Counts are victimizations, not police reports.

Percent of victimizations reported to police, by type of crime, United States, 2024. BJS National Crime Victimization Survey.
  • Vehicle theft 75.0%
  • Violent crime 47.9%
  • Burglary 40.7%
  • All property 30.5%
  • Other theft 25.4%

Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), Criminal Victimization, 2024, Table 4. Chart: RevRated, free to reuse with a link to this page.

Show chart data
Vehicle theft75.0%
Violent crime47.9%
Burglary40.7%
All property30.5%
Other theft25.4%

Methodology

Every figure on this page was taken from the organization that published it: the FBI's Crime in the United States 2025 release and Crime Data Explorer tables, the National Insurance Crime Bureau's 2025 Vehicle Theft Report and its first-half 2026 update, the Bureau of Justice Statistics' National Crime Victimization Survey, the Highway Loss Data Institute, NHTSA, Carfax and the Council on Criminal Justice. We did not copy figures from other statistics roundups. Each statistic was checked against its source by a second reviewer before publishing.

The sources measure car theft in different ways, so this page keeps them apart. The FBI estimates thefts known to police nationwide. NICB counts vehicles entered as stolen in the National Crime Information Center. BJS asks households about thefts, including those never reported to police. HLDI measures insurance claims relative to the number of insured vehicles, which is a rate, not a count. Carfax estimates catalytic converter thefts from its own vehicle data.

Where we worked out a figure ourselves, such as a percentage change or a share, the statistic says it is a RevRated calculation and the calculation uses only numbers published by the source. Some figures, such as HLDI's claim data on 2022 to 2024 models, are the newest available but cover earlier years. Each statistic shows its data year.

We will update this page when the FBI publishes its 2026 crime data and when NICB releases its full-year 2026 vehicle theft report.

Spot an error or a newer figure? Tell us and we will correct the page and note the change.

Cite this page

Free to quote, chart or link in articles, reports and coursework. Please credit the original source for each figure and link to this page as the compilation.

RevRated. (2026, November 1). Car Theft Statistics 2026. https://revrated.com/car-theft-statistics/

Frequently asked questions

How many cars are stolen each year in the US?

NICB counted 659,880 vehicles reported stolen in the United States in 2025, and the FBI estimates 673,466 motor vehicle thefts known to police that year. Both are far below the 2023 peak, when the FBI estimated 1,078,227 thefts. In the first half of 2026, NICB counted 268,415 thefts, 21% fewer than a year earlier.

What is the most stolen car in America?

The Hyundai Elantra was the most stolen vehicle in 2025, with 21,732 thefts reported, according to NICB. The Honda Accord (17,797) and Hyundai Sonata (17,687) came next, and the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 (16,764) was the most stolen pickup.

What percentage of stolen cars are recovered?

NICB says 21% of the more than 642,000 vehicles stolen in 2025 were not recovered, which means about 79% were (a RevRated calculation). NICB data cited in 2024 shows 34% of recovered vehicles are found the same day and 45% within two days. The FBI measures it by value: police recovered 44.2% of the dollar value of locally stolen vehicles in 2025.

Which state has the most car thefts?

California had the most, with 124,629 motor vehicle thefts in 2025 by the FBI's estimate and 136,988 vehicles stolen by NICB's count. By rate, the District of Columbia was highest at 673.8 thefts per 100,000 people, and Nevada was the highest of the 50 states at 396.5, according to the FBI.

Are car thefts going down?

Yes. The FBI estimates motor vehicle theft fell 22.7% from 2024 to 2025, and the 2025 rate of 197.0 per 100,000 people was the lowest in 20 years. NICB counted 21% fewer thefts in the first half of 2026 than in the first half of 2025.

How many catalytic converters are stolen each year?

Carfax estimates more than 137,000 catalytic converters were stolen in the United States in 2025, down from a peak in 2023. NICB's insurance claim data, which counts only insured claims, rose from 16,660 in 2020 to 64,701 in 2022.

How many car thefts are solved?

Police cleared just 10.5% of motor vehicle thefts in 2025, by arrest or exceptional means, according to the FBI. In cities of 250,000 or more people the figure was 7.4%.

Why do the FBI and NICB give different numbers?

They count different things. The FBI estimates all motor vehicle thefts known to police nationwide, filling in for agencies that did not report. NICB counts vehicles entered as stolen in the FBI's National Crime Information Center database. For 2025 the two were 13,586 apart, a RevRated calculation.

Sources

  1. FBI, Crime in the United States 2025, CIUS Estimations Table 1 (Crime Data Explorer downloads, CIUS Estimations 2025) cde.ucr.cjis.gov
  2. FBI, UCR Summary of Reported Crimes in the Nation, 2025 cde.ucr.cjis.gov
  3. National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), 2025 Vehicle Theft Report news release nicb.org
  4. National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), Partnerships in Theft Prevention Drive Continued Declines in U.S. Stolen Vehicles, RevRated calculation nicb.org
  5. RevRated calculation from FBI Crime in the United States 2025 (Table 1; FBI news release) and NICB (2025 Vehicle Theft Report; NCIC data note) fbi.gov
  6. Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI), Camaro ZL1 tops chart of most-stolen vehicles iihs.org
  7. National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), U.S. Vehicle Thefts Fall 21% in First Half of 2026 nicb.org
  8. Council on Criminal Justice, Crime Trends in U.S. Cities: Mid-Year 2026 Update counciloncj.org
  9. National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), Prevent Vehicle Theft nicb.org
  10. National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), news release with NHTSA, July 2024 nicb.org
  11. National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), Recreational Vehicle Thefts Declined in 2025, but Most Remain Unrecovered nicb.org
  12. RevRated calculation from NICB most stolen vehicles lists, 2023 and 2025 nicb.org
  13. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), press release, Hyundai and Kia Launch Service Campaign to Prevent Theft nhtsa.gov
  14. Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI), Bulletin Vol. 41, No. 15: Hyundai and Kia theft and vandalism losses iihs.org
  15. Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI), Bulletin Vol. 42, No. 7: Reductions in Hyundai and Kia comprehensive losses associated with the anti-theft software upgrade iihs.org
  16. National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), most stolen vehicles lists in its 2023, 2024 and 2025 vehicle theft releases nicb.org
  17. Carfax, Catalytic Converter Theft: 10 Most Targeted Vehicles (June 2026) carfax.com
  18. Carfax press release, CARFAX: Top 10 Vehicles Targeted by Recent Catalytic Converters Thefts prnewswire.com
  19. National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), Catalytic Converter Thefts Surge Nationwide, According To New Report nicb.org
  20. State Farm newsroom, State Farm data reveals 74 percent drop in catalytic converter thefts newsroom.statefarm.com
  21. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Vehicle Theft Prevention nhtsa.gov
  22. National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), Vehicles Stolen With Keys Left Inside On The Rise nicb.org
  23. Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI), Whole vehicle theft losses, WT-24 iihs.org
  24. FBI, Reported Crimes in the Nation, 2025: Quick Stats cde.ucr.cjis.gov
  25. Council on Criminal Justice, Trends in Motor Vehicle Theft: What You Need to Know (January 2024) counciloncj.org
  26. Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), Criminal Victimization, 2024, Table 4 bjs.ojp.gov
  27. Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), Preliminary Victimization Estimates from the NCVS, 2025 bjs.ojp.gov

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