What is the Most Stolen Car in Your State?

Contrary to popular belief, auto theft occurs most often in suburban areas, not cities. In addition, most reporting agencies collect data at the state level, not by city. Because of this, the overwhelming majority of reliable statistics and reports represent auto theft issues by state, not by city. Unfortunately, auto theft has actually increased in suburban areas over the past 10 years and it has decreased in urban areas. The only increases that have occurred in cities or urban areas have occurred in border towns. Border cities and towns are a pipeline for car thieves smuggling everything from weapons and money to drugs, and of course, cars and car parts.

The top ten cities/towns for auto theft offer easy access to Mexican or Canadian borders. These include:

1. Phoenix, Arizona
2. Fresno, California 
3. Modesto, California 
4. Stockton-Lodi, California 
5. Las Vegas, Nevada 
6. Miami, Florida 
7. Sacramento, California 
8. Oakland, California 
9. Seattle, Washington 
10. Tacoma, Washington

Top Ten Metro Areas for Auto Theft

1. Las Vegas/Paradise, Nevada
2. Stockton-Lodi, California
3. Visalia/Porterville, California
4. Phoenix/Mesa/Scottsdale, Arizona
5. Modesto, California
6. Seattle/Tacoma/Bellevue, Washington
7. Sacramento/Arden-Arcade/Roseville, California
8. Fresno, California
9. Yakima, Washington
10. Tucson, Arizona

The type of car that is stolen most often is up for debate. There are a number of reliable sources that currently list the types of cars that are most likely to be stolen in general and which cars are most likely to be stolen by state. Because police reports, FBI reports and statistics, and other reports are not released on a regular basis, the information available can be conflicting and confusing. Some reports currently list the types of early model vehicles stolen by state from the mid-90s up to years 2001-2004, while others have compiled data on later model vehicles, with more recent figures from 2005 or so up through 2008-2009. The question is, who’s right? Fortunately, the answer is simple. Both later model data and early model data are correct. If you look at data on cars most likely to be stolen by year only (90s-early 2000), you will find a solid list of automobiles that has remained constant. If you look at data on newer cars that are likely to be stolen by year only, you will also find a solid list of automobiles, along with numbers and percentages that are on the rise.

The reason newer (and bigger) cars are fast becoming more appealing to sophisticated car thieves is there’s just more to steal in the way of parts and technology and the parts are worth much more than early model parts. Just think, a Cadillac Escalade's wheels and tires alone are worth $10,000. According to Russ Rader, a spokesperson for the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), with a claim frequency of 15.0 per 1,000 for each insured vehicle year, the Cadillac Escalade ESV "has been the star of the show with car thieves for the better part of the decade."

Simply put, a 1995 Honda Accord will not have the same expensive technology, parts, or add-ons as a 2007 or even a 2002 Cadillac Escalade. While car thieves will still attempt to lift the usual suspects if given the opportunity, a significant amount of evidence suggests that newer cars are the preferred autos for today’s car thief as they fetch top dollar on the black market in both the states and across the border in Mexico and Canada. Below you will find a list of the top ten most stolen late model vehicles and the top ten most stolen early model vehicles.

Click here to read an Auto Insurance Tips article about America’s most and least stolen vehicles and please review our interactive auto theft tool to find out which early model vehicles are stolen most often in your state.

Most Stolen Late Model Vehicles

1. Cadillac Escalade ESV (2007)
2. Ford F-250 SuperCrew (2005-2007)
3. Cadillac Escalade (2007)
4. Dodge Charger (2006-2007)
5. Ford F-350 SuperCrew (2005-2007)
6. Hummer H2 SUT (2005-2007)
7. Dodge Magnum (2005-2007)
8. Hummer H2 (2005-2007)
9. Dodge Durango (2005-2007)
10. Honda S2000 Convertible (all)

Most Stolen Early Model Vehicles

1. Honda Civic (1995) 
2. Honda Accord (1991) 
3. Toyota Camry (1989)
4. Ford F-150 (1997) 
5. Chevrolet C/K 1500 (1994) 
6. Acura Integra (1994) 
7. Dodge Ram Pickup (2004) 
8. Nissan Sentra (1994) 
9. Toyota Pickup (1988) 
10. Toyota Corolla (2007)