- US vehicle thefts dropped 23 percent in the first half of 2025.
- 49 states and Puerto Rico saw fewer thefts, but not Alaska.
- D.C. still leads with the highest theft rate in the nation.
After years of rising rates, vehicle theft in the United States is finally tapering off, at least in most places. While the overall trajectory is headed in the right direction, some states still see persistently high theft rates, and among the most targeted vehicles, two familiar models continue to stand out.
Read: How A Simple Trick Lets Thieves Drive Off With Your Car In Seconds
According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), 334,114 vehicle thefts were reported in the first six months of 2025. That’s a 23 percent drop compared to the 435,754 thefts recorded during the same period in 2024. The downward trend suggests the numbers are edging closer to pre-pandemic levels.
Why the Numbers Are Falling
The drop follows a theft surge that peaked in 2023, fueled largely by pandemic-era conditions that made stealing cars both easier and more lucrative. According to the NICB, increased coordination between law enforcement, insurers, and automakers has helped cool things off.
If things continue at this pace through December, 2025 could mark the second straight year of decline, bringing the post-pandemic surge to a much-needed halt.
Some States Are Recovering Faster Than Others
Several states have seen vehicle thefts drop off sharply in 2025. Puerto Rico leads the pack, reporting a 43 percent decrease compared to the first half of 2024. Washington State follows closely behind with a 42 percent drop, while both North Dakota and Louisiana posted matching declines of 32 percent.
Other states seeing notable improvements include Colorado, down 31 percent, and Florida, which reported a 30 percent reduction. Tennessee saw a 29 percent drop, while California, Connecticut, Georgia, New Mexico, Oregon, and Virginia each came in with a 26 percent decrease.
Top States by Percent Decrease in Vehicle Thefts
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A total of 49 US states, along with the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, saw fewer vehicle thefts in early 2025. The only outlier was Alaska, where thefts rose by 26 percent. That uptick was was driven mostly by Anchorage, which continues to deliver big-city crime numbers with small-town population figures.
Nationally, the average vehicle theft rate dropped from 126.62 per 100,000 residents in the first half of 2024 to 97.33 over the same period this year. The consistency of the decline supports the idea that the trend is widespread, not limited to a handful of regions.
Retaining its undesirable position as the region with the highest vehicle theft rate per 100,000 residents is the District of Columbia, with 373.09 thefts per 100,000 residents. To put that figure in perspective, Washington, D.C.’s theft rate sits at nearly four times the national average, a gap that remains stubbornly wide despite overall improvements elsewhere.
Other theft-prone states include California (178.01), Nevada (167.68), New Mexico (167.54), and Colorado (149.04).
The Most Stolen Vehicles in America
In news that will surprise no one familiar with the viral 2021 ‘Kia Boys’ TikTok trend that sparked a nationwide spike in vehicle thefts, two Hyundai models claimed the top two spots on the list of most stolen vehicles in the first half of 2025.
Also: Hyundai And Kia To Retrofit Millions Of Cars After Years Of Theft
Leading the count is the Elantra, with 11,329 reported thefts. The Sonata comes in second at 9,154. Both, along with several Kia models, remain popular among thieves due to the absence of engine immobilizers in many versions
Most Stolen Cars H1 2025
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The rest of the list continues to be dominated by high-volume, familiar nameplates, suggesting that availability and opportunity still matter just as much as security gaps when thieves decide what to take.
Other cars prone to being stolen include the Honda Accord, Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Honda Civic, Kia Optima, Ford F-150, Toyota Camry, Honda CR-V, and Kia Soul.
While theft rates are falling, NICB still recommends the obvious: lock your doors, take your keys, and maybe don’t leave the engine running while grabbing a coffee. If you’re really worried, there’s always the option of a steering wheel lock and a well-lit parking lot. But then again, paranoia is just good sense in certain zip codes.
Highest Car Theft Rates H1 2025
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