Car thefts fell in 2024 after four years of increases starting during the pandemic.

Thefts nationwide decreased by 17% from 2023 to 2024, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), dropping below the one million mark for the first time since 2021 and marking the most significant annual decrease in stolen vehicles in the last 40 years.

Hyundais and Kias still lead the top five stolen models list despite software updates in 2023. However, the South Korean automakers’ 2011 to 2022 models had no standard antitheft technology.

Updates were pushed after a social media trend, known as the “Kia Challenge,” targeted Kia and Hyundai vehicles without push-button start, making them vulnerable to theft.

^{Source: National Insurance Crime Bureau}

Overall, vehicle theft fell to nearly 851,000 after spiking to more than a million in 2023, NICB said.

NICB assisted thousands of local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies in 2024 on theft investigations, aiding in the identification of complex vehicle theft rings and the recovery of hundreds of thousands of stolen vehicles across the United States.  

“Collectively, these groups used data and intelligence to develop actionable strategies to help local authorities investigate and prosecute offenders and to prevent vehicle theft from occurring in the first place,” said NICB President and CEO David J. Glawe in a statement on 2024 vehicle theft.

Vehicle Theft Prevention Tips

NICB recommends the following strategies to help prevent fleet vehicle theft:

• Do not leave your keys in your vehicle.  

• Do not leave the area while your vehicle is running.  

• Park in well-lit areas.

• Close and lock all windows and doors when you park.  

• Hide valuables out of sight, such as in the glove box or trunk.  

If your vehicle is stolen, call law enforcement, your fleet manager, and your insurer immediately. Reporting the theft as soon as possible increases the chance of recovery.