NICB reports largest drop in U.S. vehicle thefts in 40 years

A year after reaching a record high, U.S. vehicle thefts hit another historic mark — for the largest annual decrease in 40 years.

Data compiled by the National Insurance Crime Bureau showed auto theft plummeted in 2024, dropping 17% year-over-year to 850,708 vehicles from the all-time high of 1,020,729 in 2023.

That marks the end of a four-year surge in vehicle thefts that began with the COVID pandemic in 2020, when reported incidents rose to 880,595 from 721,885 in 2019, according to NICB statistics.

“The overall decrease in stolen vehicles nationwide is a testament to the hard work and collaboration between law enforcement, multi-jurisdictional auto theft task forces, governing bodies, vehicle manufacturers and NICB,” NICB president and CEO David Glawe said. “Collectively, these groups used data and intelligence to develop actionable strategies to help local authorities investigate and prosecute offenders and to prevent vehicle theft from occurring in the first place.”

In a news release, NICB said it assisted thousands of local, state and federal law enforcement agencies in 2024 on theft investigations, aiding in the identification of vehicle theft rings and the recovery of hundreds of thousands of stolen vehicles across the United States.

NICB said every U.S. state except Maine recorded a decrease in vehicle theft last year. Incidents fell by 30% or more in three states: Washington (32%), Nevada (31%) and Oregon (30%).

led the nation with the largest decreases in vehicle thefts year over year.

While the number of stolen vehicles was down 18% year-over-year in the District of Columbia, it still had nation’s highest auto theft rate with 842.4 thefts per 100,000 residents — more than three times the national average of 250.2. D.C. was followed by California (463.21), New Mexico (458.24), Colorado (430.04) and Nevada (394.42).

Colorado, which had led the nation each of the past four years, improved by 26% from 2023.

Continuing a trend that began the previous year, two Hyundai models — the Elantra and Sonata — were the most stolen vehicles in 2024, with the Kia Optima also in the top five.

Vehicle makes and models most stolen in 2024

NICB offered several recommendations to help prevent vehicle thefts:

• Do not leave the keys in your vehicle.
• Do not leave the area while your vehicle is running.
• Park in well-lit areas.
• Close and lock all windows and doors when you park.
• Hide valuables out of sight, such as in the glove box or trunk.
• If your vehicle is stolen, call law enforcement and your insurer immediately. Reporting a vehicle as soon as possible after it is stolen increases the chance of recovery.