For the last two years, auto thefts nationally have fallen according to the latest "Hot Spots" report from the National Insurance Crime Bureau. In the most recent NICB report, a total of 794,019 auto thefts were reported nationally in 2019, down from 819,988 in 2018 and 833,740 in 2017. The "Hot Spots" report examines vehicle theft data obtained from the National Crime Information Center for each of the nation's Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA). As a population-based survey, an area with a much smaller population can have a higher theft rate than an area with a greater number of thefts. Creating a theft rate, or the number of thefts per 100,000 people, enables analysts to compare a large MSA, such as Los Angeles, with a small MSA, such as Hot Springs, Arkansas. The slideshow above features the MSA areas that top the "Hot Spot" list as the 10 U.S. cities with the most vehicle thefts in 2019. Related:

• NICB: States where auto theft rates increased in 2019
• Applying insurance coverage to vandalism, fires and theft
• Where there is the most property crime in the U.S.