From The Drive · Andrew P. Collins · · 1m 40s
Car Theft Drops 21% Nationally
Car thefts fell 21% in first half of 2026, but Chicago saw a 2% rise.
In brief
Car thefts fell 21% in first half of 2026, but Chicago saw a 2% rise. Car thefts dropped 21% nationally in early 2026, except Chicago where thefts rose 2%. Originally reported by The Drive.
Car thefts fell 21%
Car thefts dropped 21% in the first half of 2026 compared to the same period in 2025, with 268,415 vehicles reported to police.
Nationwide theft rate down
The United States recorded a vehicle theft rate of 77.81 per 100,000 people in the first half of 2026, a 39% drop from two years ago.
All states saw declines
Every state reported year-over-year decreases in vehicle thefts during the first half of 2026, extending a long-term downward trend.
Chicago exception
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin saw a 2% rise in vehicle thefts, the only metro area with an increase.
Theft trends over time
Theft fell 23.2% nationally in 2025 from 850,708 to 659,880 vehicles, following a 17% drop in 2024.
Pandemic impact
Car thefts rebounded to pre-2020 levels after a 59% surge during the pandemic, with thefts in tracked cities 3% below 2019 levels.
Kia Boyz thwarted
The 2011, 2022 Hyundai and Kia models without engine immobilizers saw a 64% drop in thefts after software fixes rolled out in 2023.
Harsher laws
Colorado made car theft a felony for all vehicles in 2023, leading to a 35% drop in thefts during the first half of 2026.
Thieves moving upmarket
Chicago saw a 28% rise in Jeep thefts and over 400 luxury vehicles stolen in 2024, while overall thefts fell 27%.
What it means
Car thefts dropped 21% nationally in early 2026, except Chicago where thefts rose 2%.
