No, California does not lead the nation in stolen cars
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A car thief makes off with an ill-gotten vehicle every 37 seconds in the United States. That’s a daunting crime figure for drivers who just want to keep their wheels. Even with that number in mind, car thefts are down nationwide. And while it’s close to the top, California doesn’t top the list of the most car thefts per 100,000 residents.
California comes in behind Washington, D.C., for the highest vehicle theft rate per 100,000 people, despite a decrease
Good news. Based on data from the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), car thefts fell 17% from 2023 to 2024. It’s a precipitous drop, taking the total number of stolen cars in the US down from over one million to 850,708. Let’s face it; That’s good news any way you cut it. However, no two states are the same, and California is still a hot spot for car theft.
The Golden State’s thefts per 100,000 people dropped from 534.49 in 2023 to 463.21 last year. While significant, that drop doesn’t dislodge it from the No. 2 spot just ahead of New Mexico and Colorado. As for the top spot, the District of Columbia is responsible for nearly twice as many thefts per 100,000 residents as California.
| Location | 2024 thefts per 100K people | 2023 thefts per 100K people |
|---|---|---|
| DC | 842.40 | 1,149.71 |
| CA | 463.21 | 534.49 |
| NM | 458.24 | 489.67 |
| CO | 430.04 | 583.25 |
| NV | 394.42 | 572.70 |
As for California’s No. 1 most-stolen car, it’s surprisingly not a Hyundai or Kia. Instead, it’s the second most-boosted nameplate in the country: the Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The Silverado is the most frequently stolen vehicle in nine states, including California, Texas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma.
But while car thieves stole a greater number of vehicles per 100,000 residents in California, Texas took the top spot for Silverado thefts by sheer volume. Thieves stole 6,453 Silverados in Texas in 2024, 205 more than the Golden State during the same timeframe.
