U.S. Vehicle Thefts Fall 21% in First Half of 2026, Continuing Nationwide Decline
Two New England states were among those recording the largest percentage declines in vehicle thefts during the first half of 2026, according to a new analysis from the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB).
Vermont reported 244 vehicle thefts during the first six months of 2026. This number represents a 37% decrease from the 385 thefts reported during the same period in 2025. The decline was the third largest among the states and jurisdictions included in NICB’s list of the largest decreases.
As for the second New England state, New Hampshire recorded 193 vehicle thefts, down 35% from 295 thefts during the same time period in 2025. Its percentage decline tied with Colorado for the fourth-largest decline on NICB’s list.
Vehicle Thefts Decline Nationwide
Nationally, there was a vehicle theft rate of approximately 77.81 thefts per 100,000 people during the first two quarters of the year, with law enforcement reporting 268,415 vehicle thefts during the first six months of 2026.
The decline in thefts was widespread, with all 50 states recording year-over-year percentage decreases in vehicle thefts extending a broader downward trend in vehicle thefts seen in recent years.
“Vehicle thefts continue to decrease across the country, and it’s encouraging to see that every state experienced a decline,” said NICB Chief Operating Officer Tim Slater. “While there are many factors contributing to this, these results demonstrate what can be accomplished through sustained collaboration among law enforcement, insurers, auto theft prevention authorities and other partners. That being said, with more than a quarter-million vehicles stolen in just six months, continued investment in these partnerships, as well as prevention and public awareness, is paramount to sustaining positive progress.”
Top States by Percentage Decreases in Thefts
The District of Columbia recorded the largest percentage decrease in vehicle thefts in the first half of the year, with thefts down 52% as compared to the first half of 2025. Despite that sharp improvement, the nation’s capital continued to have the highest theft rate among states and jurisdictions analyzed, at 181.94 thefts per 100,000 people.
| State | Q1-Q2 2026 Thefts | Q1-Q2 2025 Thefts | Percentage Change Q1-Q2 2025-Q1-Q2 2026 |
| D.C. | 1,262 | 2,641 | -52 % |
| Tennessee | 4,528 | 7,754 | -42 % |
| Vermont | 244 | 385 | -37 % |
| New Hampshire | 193 | 295 | -35 % |
| Colorado | 5,902 | 9,052 | -35 % |
| Delaware | 581 | 858 | -32 % |
| Florida | 10,211 | 14,873 | -31 % |
| New Mexico | 2,516 | 3,644 | -31 % |
| Nevada | 3,897 | 5,607 | -30 % |
| Kansas | 2,155 | 3,080 | -30 % |
| Iowa | 1,182 | 1,693 | -30 % |
| Missouri | 6,386 | 9,108 | -30 % |
Top 10 Metropolitan Areas by Total Vehicle Thefts
Overall, California continued to record the highest number of stolen vehicles at the state level, with 57,821 vehicles reported stolen during the first half of 2026.
Vehicle thefts remained concentrated in several of the nation’s largest metropolitan areas. The Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, California metro area recorded the highest number of vehicle thefts during the first half of 2026, with 21,540 vehicles stolen.
| # | CBSA (Metropolitan Areas) | Q1-Q2 2026 Thefts | Percentage Change from Q1-Q2 2025-Q1-Q2 2026 |
| 1 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 21,540 | -23 % |
| 2 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 11,761 | +2 % |
| 3 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 11,306 | -16 % |
| 4 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 10,008 | -18 % |
| 5 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 9,825 | -14 % |
| 6 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 8,212 | -30 % |
| 7 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 8,056 | -11 % |
| 8 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 5,937 | -20 % |
| 9 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandia, DC-VA-MD-WV | 5,717 | -31 % |
| 10 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 4,834 | -27 % |
Among the 10 areas with the highest number of vehicle thefts, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin was the only metropolitan area to experience a year-over-year increase, with thefts rising 2% compared with the first half of 2025.
The Bakersfield-Delano, California, metro area recorded the highest vehicle theft rate in the country, at 223.28 thefts per 100,000 people, nearly triple the national rate of 77.81.
While vehicle thefts have experienced another decline in the first half of 2026, NICB urges consumers to remain vigilant, as the risk of vehicle theft is far from gone. Even as organized crime groups have increasingly shifted away from traditional vehicle theft, motorists must stay aware that a wide range of other vehicle-related crimes and fraudulent schemes continue to rise.
About the National Insurance Crime Bureau:
Headquartered in Oak Brook, Ill., the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) is the nation’s leading not-for-profit organization exclusively dedicated to combatting and preventing insurance crime through Intelligence, Analytics, and Operations; Education and Crime Prevention; and Strategy, Policy, and Advocacy. NICB is supported by more than 1,200 property and casualty insurance companies and self-insured organizations.
