For the third consecutive year, data from the NMVTRC [1] show that the Holden Commodore VE MY06_13 was the most stolen single model of car in Australia. As a collective model of car, the Toyota Hilux and Holden Commodore were two of the most targeted cars in 2021.
The Chevrolet Silverado will be the most stolen car in 2023, with a 48% theft rate.
According to multiple class-action lawsuits filed last year, 2011-2021 model year Kias and Hyundais without immobilizers—identifiable by their keyed ignitions—are prime targets. Owners with push-button start needn't worry so much, as their vehicles came standard with this theft-prevention measure.
What is the most stolen car in America 2021? A 2004 Full-sized Chevrolet pick-up was the most stolen car in America in 2021, with over 48,206 units stolen.
The 'biggest car heist' in history involves Volvo and North Korea. The Swedish government had agreed to send over $70 million in heavy machinery to the secretive state, along with that a batch of 1,000 Volvo 144 sedans to be used as taxis.
Motor vehicle theft key findings
Preliminary 2022 data shows the states with the most motor vehicle thefts were California (202,685), Texas (105,015) and Washington (46,939). 31 states saw a year-over-year increase in motor vehicle thefts in 2021 — the latest year for which data from every state is available.
According to a study from CCC Information Services, silver cars are stolen more often than any other car color. This is most likely because it is such a neutral color and will be less likely to stand out and be seen in a crowd of vehicles. Generally, the more unique your car color is, the safer it will be from thieves.
1. Subaru WRX. —it's claimed this title for the third year in a row. Although it may not have the power of other sports cars, the WRX does have the most violations of any vehicle in the country, with drivers being cited for speeding 49% more often than the average driver.
Granted, a lot of the car nabbing has to do with taking parts of cars, however, BMW car models tend to be on the safer side. For example, the BMW 3 Series is the least stolen vehicle in the US according to data by the Highway Loss Data Institute.
MUARC's determination is that white is the safest vehicle color. Why? In all types of weather and lighting, the visibility of a white vehicle rates much higher, particularly at night. In fact, the study showed there is a 12 percent less chance of accident involvement in a white car than a black one.
1. Bakersfield, California. Topping the list of worst cities for car thieves for the second year in a row is Bakersfield, California. It has the highest car theft rate per 100,000 people, with 905.41 thefts.
Bakersfield, CA
Bakersfield, California, holds its record as the number one city for the greatest number of car thefts per capita. For 2021, there was a theft rate of 1,023.68 incidents for every 100,000 people, which means that over 1% of the population had their car stolen in Bakersfield that year.
Top U.S. cities for car thefts
Bakersfield, California, has the most car thefts for the third year in a row, with an auto theft rate of 1,023 – the total number of thefts per 100,000 residents. Car theft is a problem in several California cities; three of the top 10 metro areas for car theft are in the state.
On September 12, 1997, six men robbed the Dunbar Armored facility on Mateo St. in Downtown Los Angeles, California of US$18.9 million (equivalent to $34.5 million in 2022).
The Antwerp diamond heist, dubbed the "heist of the century", was the largest ever diamond heist and one of the largest robberies in history. Thieves stole loose diamonds, gold, silver and other types of jewelry valued at more than $100 million.
A West Auckland woman is distraught after her 2023 Rolls-Royce Ghost worth $850,000 was stolen from her home in the 20 minutes she was out getting takeaways. A motoring magazine editor describes the theft as a targeted heist, saying “there aren't too many cars more expensive than that in New Zealand”.
In most cases, Chevrolet and Ford's full-size pickups were the prime targets for thieves and older models were preferred. Indeed, the Chevrolet Silverado was the most frequently stolen vehicle in America in 2021, according to the bureau.
The Mercedes-Benz C-Class is the most stolen luxury car, the National Insurance Crime Bureau reports. And two of its brand stablemates are on the list as well: the E-Class is in fourth place and the S-Class is in 10th place. The study is based on thefts entered in the National Crime Information Center database.