West has Highest Vehicle Theft Rates

April 23, 2008

The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) has ranked the top metropolitan statistical areas (MSA) with the highest per capita rate for vehicle thefts in the nation in 2007. MSAs in the West topped the list, with Modesto, Calif., having the highest number of thefts.

For 2007, the ten MSAs with the highest vehicle theft rates are:
2006 Ranking
1. Modesto, Calif. 5
2. Las Vegas/Paradise, Nev. 1
3. San Diego/Carlsbad/San Marcos, Calif. 11
4. Stockton, Calif. 2
5. San Francisco/Oakland/Fremont, Calif. 12
6. Laredo, Texas 22
7. Albuquerque, N.M. 13
8. Phoenix/Mesa/Scottsdale, Ariz. 4
9. Yakima, Wash. 9
10. Tucson, Ariz. 10

Each year, NICB analysts review vehicle theft data obtained from the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) for each of the nation's MSAs. MSAs are designated by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and often include areas much larger than the cities for which they are named. For example, the Modesto MSA includes the entire county of Stanislaus and other municipalities in addition to the city of Modesto.

The rate is determined by the number of vehicle theft offenses per 100,000 inhabitants using the 2007 U.S. Census Population Estimates, the most current figures available.

Preliminary 2007 crime data released by the FBI in January contains some positive news on the vehicle theft front. Not only is 2007 on track to be the fourth consecutive year of declining vehicle thefts, but if the preliminary figure of -7.4% holds, it will be the largest single year percent drop in thefts since 1999 and it will contribute to the overall 11 percent reduction in vehicle thefts, nationally, since 2000.

However, the good news is no reason for vehicle owners or law enforcement to relax their vigilance. "While there is overall great news in our new report, there is also room for concern," said NICB president and CEO Robert M. Bryant. "Success against vehicle theft can be fleeting without an ongoing and adaptive program that couples the best in theft prevention/recovery technology with law enforcement operations. We must not become complacent in the wake of success.

"Bait cars, license plate readers and owner-applied theft deterrence and recovery systems have delivered outstanding results. In the coming years, technological advances may well defeat vehicle theft as a major crime problem in the United States, but until then we must continue using everything at our disposal to keep achieving the kinds of results that we have had over the last four years," Bryant said.

For the complete information on Hot Spots 2008, visit www.nicb.org.

Source: National Insurance Crime Bureau