California was named among the top 10 states for vehicle theft in the country, according to data from the National Insurance Crime Bureau, a not-for-profit organization that fights against insurance fraud and crime.
The October report shows which metro areas and states had the highest vehicle theft rates during 2022 . The data used in the report is from the National Crime Information Center.
The Golden State ranked sixth on the list with 520 vehicle thefts per 100,000 residents, an increase of about 13% from 2021.
In 2021, the state had 461 car thefts per 100,000 residents, the report found.
Here are the top 10 states with the highest car theft rates, according to NICB
- Colorado
- District of Columbia
- Washington
- Oregon
- New Mexico
- California
- Missouri
- Nevada
- Texas
- Tennessee
While California didn’t top the list for the state with the most vehicle thefts, it did have the highest number of car thefts in the nation for 2022. Last year, 203,018 thefts happened in the Golden State, according to the report.
The report also looked at which metro areas had the highest car theft rate during 2022; here is where California cities ranked.
Bakersfield ranked second on the list with 1,072 car thefts per 100,000 residents in 2022. This is approximately an 11% increase compared to 2021 when the city had about 964 car thefts per 100,000 residents.
San Francisco, Oakland and Berkeley ranked eighth on the list with 699 vehicle thefts per 100,000 residents, a 17% increase compared to 2021.
Officials with the Los Angeles Police Department and California Highway Patrol shared these precautions on how motorists could avoid becoming a victim of car theft.
- Lock your vehicle
- Use anti-theft devices
- Park your vehicle in well-lit areas at night
- Have the ownership certificate if you purchase a used vehicle
- Never leave your keys in the vehicle
- Don’t leave your spare car key in the vehicle
- Park your car In a secure garage when possible
- Never leave valuables in plain view, even if your car is locked