Full-Size Pickups Are Top Pick of Thieves

In 2022, full-size pickup trucks had the highest theft rate of all vehicles — comprising 25% of total vehicle thefts, according to a new analysis from the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB).

Three pickups ranked on the NICB’s top 10 most stolen vehicles list. Chevrolet’s full-size pickup was the number one most stolen vehicle nationally in 2022 with 49,903 reported thefts. Ford’s full-size pickup ranks as the second most stolen with 48,175 thefts. Also on the top 10 list is the GMC full-size pickup, which ranks ninth with 16,622 thefts last year.

NICB Offers Theories for Thefts

While there is no specific data as to why large pickups are so frequently stolen, the NICB offers some theories based on informal reasons the organization has heard from state and local law enforcement agencies. For starters, the sheer number of large pickups on the road today could perhaps make them an easier target.

Additionally, many times stolen vehicles that are not recovered are shipped overseas to countries in Africa that put a premium on vehicles that can travel outside or off the traditional road system. Many pickups fit the bill, as they are built for traversing rugged off-road conditions.

Overall, vehicle thefts have been on the rise in recent years and increased by 7% in 2022 to over one million stolen vehicles — the highest theft number since 2008. Simply stated, in the U.S., approximately one motor vehicle is stolen every 32 seconds.

The good news, says NICB, is that recovery rates are also on the rise. More than 85% of passenger vehicles reported stolen in 2022 were subsequently recovered by law enforcement or other means. Moreover, if reported as stolen in the first 24 hours, passenger vehicles had a 34% same-day recovery rate in 2022.

While pickups are clearly a prime target for thieves, seven other vehicles made the top 10 most stolen list. The Honda Civic and Honda Accord — which have long been popular with criminals and have made the NICB list in the past — ranked third and fourth on the 2022 list, with 27,113 and 27,089 thefts, respectively. Conversely, the Hyundai Sonata, Hyundai Elantra, and Kia Optima were all new to the top 10 list. Finally, the Toyota Camry ranked eighth on the list and the Honda CR-V — the only SUV on the list — came in 10th.