In recent years, The Blue Oval has been dealing with its fair share of vehicle thefts, many of which are happening at the company’s own storage or holding lots, with millions of dollars in new vehicles being stolen on a routine basis. However, overall vehicle thefts in the U.S. have been on the rise for some time now as well, with the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) previously reporting that in the first half of 2023, roughly 500,000 vehicles were reported stolen nationwide, which represents an increase of more than two percent compared to the first half of 2022 – when that figure reached a record high. Now that the final numbers have been tallied, they reveal that vehicle thefts increased substantially across the entirety of 2023, too.
According to the NICB, last year, 1,020,729 vehicle thefts were reported in the U.S., compared to 1,008,756 in 2022 – an increase of nearly 12,000 vehicles, or a little over one percent, continuing an upward trend that began back in 2019. California once again led the way with 208,668 vehicles reported stolen, while the District of Columbia had the highest theft rate with 1,149.71 thefts per 100,000 people – more than three times the national average.
While some parts of the U.S. actually saw vehicle thefts decline last year, urban centers and densely populated areas remained hotspots for auto theft. In fact, the District of Columbia and Maryland both saw a dramatic rise in 2023, with theft percentage increases of 64 percent and 63 percent compared to 2022, respectively.
“Criminals are employing increasingly sophisticated methods to steal vehicles, including the use of advanced technology to bypass security systems,” said David J. Glawe, President and CEO of NICB. “From keyless entry hacks to relay attacks on key fobs, perpetrators are exploiting vulnerabilities in modern vehicle security measures with alarming success rates. It is critical that industry and law enforcement work together to develop more effective strategies for combating auto theft and safeguarding public safety.”
We’ll have more on the state of vehicle thefts soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for around-the-clock Ford news coverage.
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