Buy-here, pay-here dealerships often will highlight the positives of having a GPS device attached to a vehicle when they’re completing delivery.

A new report released by the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) this week likely gave operators even more evidence as to why having those devices can be beneficial.

NICB reported more than 1 million vehicles were reported stolen last year, increasing nationwide from 1,008,756 in 2022 to 1,020,729 in 2023. The report also showed vehicle thefts rose in 24 states.

According to a news release, the top 10 locations by volume of vehicle theft included:

  1. California: 208,668
    2. Texas: 115,013
    3. Florida: 46,213
    4. Washington: 43,160
    5. Illinois: 41,528
    6. Colorado: 34,068
    7. New York: 32,715
    8. Ohio: 31,647
    9. Georgia: 28,171
    10. Missouri: 27,279

The National Insurance Crime Bureau compiled the data for theft rates from the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) for each of the nation’s metropolitan statistical areas. The NICB report analyzed the number of thefts per 100,000 residents, which allows it to compare smaller with larger regions.

Looking at the data via that prism, the top 10 theft rates happened in:

  1. District of Columbia: 1,149.71
    2. Colorado: 583.25
    3. Nevada: 572.70
    4. Washington: 554.44
    5. California: 534.49
    6. New Mexico: 489.67
    7. Missouri: 441.61
    8. Maryland: 427.99
    9. Oregon: 394.14
    10. Texas: 383.00

“Addressing the rising tide of vehicle thefts demands collaborative partnerships involving law enforcement agencies, government bodies, automotive manufacturers, and the community at large,” NICB president and CEO David Glawe said in the news release.

“The repercussions of vehicle theft extend beyond financial losses, causing significant distress and inconvenience for affected individuals. Beyond the financial burden of replacing stolen vehicles and repairing damages, victims often endure emotional stress and disruption to their daily routines,” Glawe added.