Oak Brook, Ill. – September 30, 2026 -- Vehicle thefts in the United States fell 21% during the first half of 2026 compared with the same period last year, with all 50 states posting year-over-year declines, according to a new analysis from the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB).
A total of 268,415 vehicles were reported stolen to law enforcement between January and June 2026, translating to a national theft rate of roughly 77.81 thefts per 100,000 people.
Every state saw thefts decline, but the drops varied widely
The District of Columbia posted the steepest improvement, with thefts down 52% versus the first half of 2025. Despite that drop, D.C. still recorded the highest theft rate of any jurisdiction analyzed, at 181.94 thefts per 100,000 residents.
California still leads the nation in raw theft numbers
California recorded 57,821 stolen vehicles during the first six months of the year, more than any other state. The Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim metro area alone accounted for 21,540 of those thefts, the highest total among U.S. metro areas.
Chicago is the only major metro area where thefts went up
Among the ten metro areas with the most vehicle thefts, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin was the sole outlier, recording a 2% increase in thefts compared with the first half of 2025.
Bakersfield has the highest theft rate in the country
The Bakersfield-Delano, California metro area recorded a theft rate of 223.28 per 100,000 people, nearly triple the national average.
NICB Chief Operating Officer Tim Slater said the nationwide decline reflects sustained collaboration between law enforcement, insurers and auto theft prevention groups, but cautioned that more than a quarter-million vehicles were still stolen in six months. He noted that while organized theft rings have shifted away from traditional car theft, other vehicle-related fraud schemes continue to rise.
NICB recommends basic precautions to deter thieves
The organization advises drivers to park in well-lit areas, roll up windows and lock doors before leaving a vehicle unattended. It also recommends never leaving a car running while unoccupied, always taking keys when stepping away, and using anti-theft tools such as steering wheel locks, kill switches or GPS trackers.