Car thefts in US surged to record high in 2023, new report says

Car thefts surged to a record high in 2023, according to a new study shared exclusively with FOX Business.

The report from the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) released Tuesday found over 1 million vehicles were stolen in the U.S. last year, as part of an upward trend in auto thefts nationwide.

Washington, D.C., and Maryland led the nation in car thefts in 2023, with a 64% and 63% spike in thefts, respectively, from the previous year, according to the study.

The nation’s capital saw 1,149 thefts per 100,000 people, more than three times the national average.

CAR THEFTS IN US TOP 1 MILLION FOR FIRST TIME SINCE 2008

Vehicle thefts in Maryland have also skyrocketed over the past few years, with the state experiencing a 108% surge in auto thefts since before the pandemic. 

Connecticut (33%), Nevada (18%) and Massachusetts (16%) followed in the states with the highest increase in vehicle thefts, according to the study.

NICB CEO David Glawe said the high number of thefts in places like Maryland and Washington, D.C., were likely due to lack of enforcement in prosecuting auto thefts.

“There is a disparity between the enforcement and the prosecutions and the deterrent effect,” Glawe told FOX Business. “You can see some differences depending on where an individual is prosecuted.”

AUTO INSURANCE PREMIUMS RISE AS CAR THEFTS AND FALSE INSURANCE CLAIMS INCREASE

Law enforcement officials have blamed bail reform laws in blue cities and states for the increase in crime, arguing these laws embolden criminals.

The market for used cars is also a factor encouraging thefts, with used car prices up 30 percent since before the pandemic. 

The surge in thefts has led some cities like Baltimore, Philadelphia, Richmond and Scranton to hand out free wheel locks to deter criminals. 

Certain models are more prone to theft as well, the NICB reported. The Hyundai Elantra and Sonata were the top two vehicles reported stolen nationwide, followed by the Kia Optima and Chevrolet Silverado.

This is the second year in a row that vehicle thefts have topped 1 million. Before 2022, levels hadn’t reached that high since 2008, according to the NICB, when 1.05 million were reported stolen.