Map Shows States With the Most Car Thefts in America

By Rachael O'Connor

Life and Trends Reporter

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The American states with the highest rates of car thefts have been revealed after a report from the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB).

In the first half of 2025, the numbers of vehicle thefts are down from the figures in 2023 and 2024, but hundreds of thousands of vehicles have still been reported stolen.

The first half of 2025 saw 334,114 vehicle thefts reported, compared to 435,754 by the same time last year. President and CEO of NICB David J Glawe said in a statement that this figure represented the "effectiveness of collaborative efforts by law enforcement, automakers, insurers, and the National Insurance Crime Bureau."

Plus, reports of vehicle thefts have fallen in every state but one. Puerto Rico had the biggest drop in thefts, down 43 percent from the first half of 2024, followed by Washington State at 42 percent and North Dakota and Louisiana at 32 percent.

The only state to have a rise in reported vehicle thefts is Alaska, which saw a 26 percent rise compared to the first half of 2024. The NICB states this is largely driven by theft in the Anchorage metropolitan area.

But while the vehicle theft rate is down nationwide, some areas remain hotspots for the criminal activity: here are the 10 worst states for car theft across the US.

District of Columbia

The D.C. area had the highest amount of vehicle thefts in the first half of 2025, at a rate of 373.09 per 100,000 residents.

California

California was second, with vehicle thefts reported at a rate of 178.01 per 100,000 residents.

Nevada

Nevada had the third-highest reported vehicle thefts in the first half of 2025, at a rate of 167.68 per 100,000 residents.

New Mexico

Vehicle thefts in New Mexico were reported at a rate of 167.54 per 100,000 residents.

Colorado

Colorado was fifth-highest in the list, at a rate of 167.54 per 100,000 residents.

Missouri

In sixth place was Missouri, at a rate of 142.17 per 100,000 residents.

Maryland

Maryland had a car theft rate of 136.48 per 100,000 residents.

Texas

Texas had a car theft rate of 123.83 per 100,000 residents in the first half of 2025.

Alaska

Despite being the only state with a rise in car thefts, Alaska was only 9th on the list, with a rate of 117.41 per 100,000 residents.

Washington

Washington state had a vehicle theft rate of 115.20 per 100,000 residents.

Thomas Fighter, criminal trial lawyer and founder of Fighter Law, told Newsweek that there are reasons behind the states with the highest rate of vehicle thefts.

Fighter said that D.C., for example, is "densely populated, the traffic is constant and thin, and it has quick escape routes; perfect conditions for a stolen car to disappear as soon as possible."

Other states "simply have more cars on the road, are bigger tourism destinations or have more open borders that allow theft suspects to move vehicles," Fighter added.

When it comes to the rise of thefts in Alaska, the legal expert said this "likely represents something more logistical than criminal. And when a society relies heavily on automobiles, and law enforcement extends over large areas with relatively small manpower, response times naturally lengthen. Even a relatively slight increase in theft attempts can outrun recovery efforts."

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