16 Large US Cities Ranked for Car Theft

While many believe that big cities are the source of the highest crime rates, some of these big cities and their included metropolitan areas are further down on the car theft list than you might expect. The largest 380 US metro areas were ranked with some surprising results; here are 16 of the largest US metro areas and where they fall when it comes to stolen cars.

Indianapolis – 37th

Crime has been increasing in Indianapolis which is not a good sign for residents or midwest travelers.

Las Vegas – 27th

Las Vegas used to be number 1 on the list, but aggressive law enforcement campaigns helped bring about reform. Unfortunately, it is beginning to trend downward again.

Portland – 54th

Portland is actually safer than nearby Eugene, but is still close to the top 50. The West Coast seems to have an issue with coveting the belongings of others.

Denver – 50th

Denver-Aurora-Lakewood ranked 50th with a rate of 308.70 per 100,000 people. From 2005 to 2013, Colorado saw a 55% reduction in auto theft. Passenger cars accounted for nearly half of all auto thefts.

Baltimore – 95th

Coming in at 95th, Baltimore is a case of could be better, could be worse. Don’t leave your keys in the car, but don’t fret too much either.

Seattle – 13th

The Seattle area ranked 13th nationwide in 2011. That ranking climbed sharply from 37th in 2009. Fifteen-year-old Hondas and Toyotas were the most “popular.”

Detroit – 23rd

Detroit is 23rd and not happy with this statistic. However, there is a new initiative to prevent auto theft. It is a public-private partnership called H.E.A.T.–Help Eliminate Auto Thefts.

Phoenix – 83rd

Auto theft is also on the decline in Phoenix. This is an improvement over previous years where it ranked much higher on the list.

Boston – 235th

At one time, Boston was the single worst place in the nation for auto theft. In recent years however, it has steadily become safer. It is now fairly low on the list for a large city.

Miami – 65th

Crime here has been trending down. This is cold comfort if your car is stolen. But, the future looks bright.

Washington DC Area – 145th

The District of Columbia is currently enjoying a downward trend. It comes in at 145th which is not too bad, all things considered.

Philadelphia – 138th

In recent years, crime rates have been trending downward in Philadelphia. This is good news for locals. It is also good news for people who might want to move to the city or who plan to travel their by car.

Houston – 35th

Houston has not been happy with its legacy, so it began cracking down recently. It launched new consumer protection programs.

Chicago – 82nd

Chicago accounted for 63% of all Illinois vehicle thefts in 2010. Nonetheless, coming in at 82nd, it is not as high on the list as you might think. Granted, it is the third most populated metro area in the country so per capita thefts would be skewed slightly in their favor.

LA – 29th

Los Angeles ranked 29th with a rate of 387 per 100,000. California has more vehicles than any other state providing greater opportunity and leads the country in auto thefts

New York – 242nd

Surprisingly, New York is relatively low in the ranking. This is likely due to the high use of public transit in the city, and the large population. Most people in the city do not own cars.