CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) – A recent report identifies the most stolen cars across the country in 2023.
The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) investigation says that over 1 million motor vehicles were stolen last year, with an increase from 1,008,756 in 2022 to 1,020,729 in 2023. California was the state with the largest number of thefts at 208,668.
The 10 most stolen cars are:
- Hyundai Elantra
- Hyundai Sonata
- Kia Optima
- Chevrolet Silverado 1500
- Kia Soul
- Honda Accord
- Honda Civic
- Kia Forte
- Ford F150 Series Pickup
- Kia Sportage
The Honda Accord was the most commonly stolen car in five states, including Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Rhode Island.
“Motor vehicle theft costs owners more than $8 billion each year, with more thefts happening in the summer than any other time of year,” said Mark Schieldrop, senior spokesperson for AAA Northeast. “But by being vigilant and taking preventive measures, you can significantly reduce the chance of your car being stolen.”
AAA offers the following tips to prevent your car from being stolen:
- Park with your windows up and doors locked. When not at home, be sure your key fob is always with you.
- Park in well-lit areas and ideally in areas with security cameras.
- Remove all valuables from your car and keep anything that must be in the car out of view. Theft of items left in vehicles — not just theft of cars themselves — is a widespread problem.
- Consider using a tracking device to find your car if it is stolen. According to the NICB, one-third of recovered vehicles were found on the same day they were stolen, so it’s important to immediately report the incident to police and then to your insurance company.
- Store key fobs as far away from parked vehicles as possible. To prevent a signal-boosting attack, consider putting them in a metal container or bag to interrupt the fob signal and prevent tech-savvy thieves from intercepting and boosting it remotely to unlock the nearby parked vehicle.
- Keep your vehicle up to date with software updates and check with your dealer to ensure all eligible safety and security recalls and technical service bulletins have been performed.
- Don’t leave your vehicle running and unattended, even if it is locked.
Vehicle theft has been on the rise recently, according to FBI crime data.
Alix Martichoux contributed to this report.