Nearly 500,000 vehicles have been reported stolen in the U.S. through the first six months of this year, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), which noted first half auto thefts were up 2% compared with the same period in 2022. There were more than 1 million stolen vehicles in the U.S. in 2022, according to previous NICB reports. "Vehicle thefts increased to near-record highs in the United States last year, and unfortunately, current trends indicate total thefts this year may surpass 2022," NICB President and CEO David J. Glawe said in are release.  "With little deterrent to stop these criminal actors, law enforcement agencies and communities will continue to suffer." According to the NICB, the rise in vehicle thefts can be attributed to the pandemic, a lack of policing resources, and sophisticated criminal networks, which can be operated nationally or even internationally and can be difficult for any single law enforcement agency to track. From January-July 2023, the U.S. saw an average of 80,000 vehicles stolen each month, the NICB reported. Thefts peaked in May, which had 87,993 reports of stolen vehicles. The above slideshow reviews the 10 states that saw the most auto thefts during the first half of 2023 as well as details on the year-on-year change, according to the NICB. Related:

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