Motor vehicle theft

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Motor vehicle theft: a simple overview

Motor vehicle theft is when someone steals a car or tries to steal one. In the United States, about 810,000 vehicles were reported stolen in 2020, up from about 725,000 in 2019, with losses around $7.4 billion. In the European Union, about 505,000 cars were stolen in 2019, a 43% drop since 2008. When comparing theft rates, it helps to look at thefts per 100,000 people, not just the number of cars.

Why cars are stolen
Thieves’ targets vary by place and car. Older vehicles often have weaker security and are worth more for parts or scrap metal, making them easier to steal. Security advances mean some cars are harder to steal today, while others become targets because of new weaknesses. In some regions, certain makes or models are more commonly stolen.

Examples from different places
- Bangkok: Toyota Hilux and Isuzu D-Max pickups are frequent targets.
- Malaysia: Proton Wira tops the list of stolen cars, followed by the Waja and Perdana.
- United Kingdom: The Mercedes-Benz C-Class was a leading target in 2018.
- The growing use of keyless entry has helped thieves in some cases.

Tech and new trends
A vulnerability in some USB-based “key” systems led to more thefts of certain Kia and Hyundai models in 2022, helping drive a viral trend online. In the United States, Dodge Challenger and Dodge Charger cars (especially those with high-performance engines) are often stolen. In 2024, Los Angeles saw a notable spike in Chevy Camaro thefts.

Prevention and recovery
Ways to reduce theft include physical barriers like alarms and steering locks, parking in secure or well‑lit areas, and using tracking devices that send location data to owners or police. Modern tracking and telematics systems, such as GPS trackers, are common tools for locating stolen vehicles. Some vehicles also use part identifiers or microdots to help return missing parts.

How thefts are recovered
Police use a mix of methods to recover stolen cars, from random vehicle checks to systematic scans with license plate readers (ANPR). Tips from the public can help locate stolen vehicles, sometimes through websites or hotlines. Data about vehicle ownership and history is shared by agencies and private car‑check services to help verify possible matches.

Important context
The rate of theft per person can be affected by how many cars a country has. Countries with few cars can look like they have lower theft rates even if the theft rate per car is high. Global crime networks are often active across several countries, with patterns changing by year. For example, Europol noted active networks in Germany, Poland, Portugal, and Serbia in 2023, with Serbia linked to storing and cloning stolen cars. In the United States, the FBI reported that the cities with the most thefts in 2019 were Los Angeles, San Antonio, Las Vegas, Phoenix, and Detroit.

Bottom line
Car theft shows up differently around the world, driven by security, vehicle popularity, and local crime patterns. Improvements in car security, tracking technology, and faster police recovery help reduce theft and speed up finding stolen vehicles.