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Vehicle thefts in the U.S. dropped by 23% in 2025, reaching the lowest level in decades, according to a new report from the National Insurance Crime Bureau.
Last year, 659,880 vehicles were reported stolen, one of the lowest figures on record for the United States. The decline follows a 17% drop in vehicle thefts in 2024, which was previously the largest decrease in thefts in 40 years.
At the state level, Washington saw a 39% decrease in vehicle thefts, the largest percentage decrease of any state. Colorado (35% decrease), Puerto Rico (34%), South Dakota (32%) and Tennessee (31%) also saw large declines.
Thefts involving Hyundai and Kia vehicles have declined for the third year in a row, thanks largely to software updates and theft prevention measures implemented by the manufacturers.
"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 David J. Glawe, NICB president and CEO, in a statement. "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."
Even with the decline in thefts, one vehicle is still stolen every 48 seconds in the United States. The chance of theft is even greater in major metropolitan areas: more than one-third of all vehicle thefts occur in the 10 largest metro areas.
The San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont metro area saw 477.51 thefts per 100,000 people last year, making it the metro area with the highest theft rate. It's followed closely by the Bakersfield-Delano area, which saw 477.27 thefts per 100,000 people, and the Memphis, Tenn., area, which saw 427.75 thefts per 100,000 people.
Among the states, California, Texas, Illinois, Florida and New York saw the highest volume of vehicle thefts.
The Hyundai Elantra was the most stolen vehicle in 2025, followed by the Honda Accord, the Hyundai Sonata, the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and the Honda Civic.
Credit: PBXStudio/Adobe Stock
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