ATF and Everytown both point to the same problem from different angles: stolen firearms are overwhelmingly tied to private-citizen theft, and vehicle theft has become a major source of that problem. The numbers are public, specific, and worth understanding if you ever leave a firearm in a vehicle.
The clean version of the data
ATF's National Firearms Commerce and Trafficking Assessment shows how large the private-citizen theft problem is. Everytown's analysis of FBI city data shows how much of the modern gun-theft problem now comes from vehicles.
Those are not the same dataset, and they should not be blurred together. ATF is the source for the 2017 to 2021 reported-theft breakdown. Everytown is the source for the city-level car-theft findings, including the one-every-nine-minutes estimate.
| Source | What it measured | Key finding |
|---|---|---|
| ATF NFCTA Part V | Firearms reported stolen from 2017 through 2021. | 1,026,538 firearms were reported stolen from private citizens, representing almost 96% of reported stolen firearms in that period. |
| Everytown Research | FBI NIBRS data from 337 cities across 44 states, covering roughly 63 million people. | In 2022, just over half of gun thefts in the analyzed cities came from cars, totaling nearly 62,000 guns stolen from vehicles. |
What the ATF NFCTA report found
ATF's NFCTA Part V reported 1,074,022 firearms stolen from 2017 to 2021. Of that total, 1,026,538 were reported stolen from private citizens. That is almost 96% of the reported stolen firearms in the study period.
FFL thefts and interstate-shipment thefts made up a much smaller share of reported stolen firearms. That does not mean those thefts do not matter. It means the largest reported theft category is private-citizen theft.
ATF also emphasized a reporting gap. Federal law and most states do not require private firearm owners to report a stolen firearm. The ATF report cites a 2016 Bureau of Justice Statistics survey indicating that about 75% of private gun thefts are reported to law enforcement.
What Everytown's vehicle-theft analysis found
Everytown analyzed FBI NIBRS data from 337 cities across 44 states, covering roughly 63 million people. In that city dataset, Everytown found that the rate of gun thefts from cars tripled over the decade, rising from an estimated 21.0 thefts per 100,000 people in 2013 to 63.1 per 100,000 in 2022.
The location of reported gun thefts also shifted. Everytown found that a decade earlier, roughly one quarter of reported gun thefts in the analyzed cities came from cars. In 2022, just over half did.
That amounted to nearly 62,000 guns stolen from cars in those cities in 2022. Everytown summarized that figure as at least one gun stolen from a car every nine minutes on average.
Why vehicles are such a common weak point
Vehicles create a simple problem: they are often unattended, parked in public or semi-public places, and full of predictable storage spots. A center console, glove box, bag, door pocket, or visible case is easy to guess.
The issue is not only whether the vehicle is locked. It is what happens after someone gets inside. If the firearm is loose, visible, or stored in a predictable compartment, there is not much standing between the thief and the firearm.
Everytown's report also points out that many gun thefts from cars happen at residences, including driveways and outside homes. That matters because it shows the risk is not limited to gas stations, hotels, or public parking lots.
What this means for practical vehicle storage
The storage goal is not to claim any vehicle safe is theft-proof. No responsible brand should say that. The goal is to change the storage setup before a theft attempt ever happens.
Loose storage gives a thief the simplest path. Hidden, locked, vehicle-attached storage creates more steps. It also keeps the firearm out of obvious places like the glove box, console, backpack, or under-seat storage.
BoostedSafe Elite is designed around that exact problem. It disguises as a booster seat, locks, and anchors into compatible rear-seat LATCH or ISOFIX points. That combination helps address visibility, access, and removal risk without pretending the vehicle is a home safe.
| Storage habit | Why it is risky | Better routine |
|---|---|---|
| Glove box | Predictable place to search and not the same as a dedicated safe. | Use locked storage designed for vehicle use. |
| Center console | Easy to access once someone is inside the vehicle. | Move the firearm or valuables into a locked safe before you park. |
| Backpack or range bag | Can signal that something valuable or firearm-related may be inside. | Do not leave bags or cases visible from outside the vehicle. |
| Loose lockbox | Better than leaving a firearm loose, but the box may still be removable. | Choose storage that attaches to the vehicle when compatible. |
| BoostedSafe Elite | Designed to reduce visibility, limit access, and connect to compatible vehicle anchors. | Check fitment and install before relying on it as part of your storage routine. |
What the data does not say
The data does not say every vehicle theft is the same. It does not say every stolen firearm was stored the same way. It does not prove that any single safe eliminates the risk.
What it does show is the scale of the problem. Private-citizen theft dominates reported stolen firearm data in the ATF assessment, and vehicle theft dominates the city-level gun-theft pattern in Everytown's analysis.
That is enough to make vehicle storage a serious part of responsible ownership, especially for anyone who carries and sometimes has to leave a firearm behind.
Vehicle storage checklist based on the data
- Do not leave a firearm loose in a console, glove box, backpack, or door pocket.
- Secure the firearm before you arrive, not after you park in public view.
- Keep firearm cases, holsters, range bags, and electronics out of sight.
- Use a locked container when a firearm must stay in the vehicle.
- Choose storage that attaches to the vehicle when compatible.
- Confirm the storage law in the state where the vehicle is parked.
- Use the same storage routine at home, in driveways, and in public parking lots.
- Report stolen firearms when required by law and whenever appropriate through law enforcement.
Official sources to read
Use the original sources below to review the data directly. The ATF report explains reported theft sources from 2017 to 2021. Everytown's report explains the city-level vehicle-theft trend through 2022.
ATF report covering firearm thefts, reported stolen firearms, private-citizen thefts, FFL thefts, and reporting gaps.
Read ATF NFCTA Part VATF resource center for current data, including annual Federal Firearms Licensee theft and loss reports.
View ATF dataEverytown Research report on gun thefts from cars using FBI NIBRS city data.
Read Everytown reportBoostedSafe breakdown of California PC 25140 for handgun storage in unattended vehicles.
Read California explainerFrequently asked questions
Did ATF say vehicles are the largest source of stolen guns?
ATF's NFCTA Part V says the primary source of stolen firearms is theft from private citizens, including vehicles, homes, and persons. Everytown's FBI city-data analysis is the source that specifically identifies cars as the largest source in the analyzed city data.
Is the ATF NFCTA still useful if Everytown has newer vehicle-specific data?
Yes. The ATF report is useful for understanding the broader stolen-firearms picture, including the scale of private-citizen theft and the reporting gap. Everytown's report is useful for the vehicle-specific trend.
How accurate is the “one gun every nine minutes” number?
It comes from Everytown's 2022 analysis of nearly 62,000 guns stolen from cars across 337 cities. It is an average based on that city dataset, not a complete national count.
Why is private-citizen theft such a large share of ATF's stolen-gun data?
Private citizens collectively own far more firearms than are sitting in dealer inventory at any one time. The ATF figure reflects reported stolen firearms during the study period, not a claim that every private owner stores firearms poorly.
Does this mean a firearm should never be stored in a vehicle?
Home storage in a secure firearm safety device is usually the lower-risk default. Vehicle storage becomes relevant when a firearm cannot legally or practically come with you into a destination. In that case, locked, hidden, vehicle-attached storage is a better plan than leaving the firearm loose or visible.
Does BoostedSafe eliminate the risk of theft?
No. No vehicle safe should be described as theft-proof. BoostedSafe Elite is designed to improve the storage routine by keeping valuables hidden, locked, and connected to compatible vehicle anchor points.
Vehicle storage is not a side issue
The data is clear enough to change the routine. If a firearm or high-value item has to stay in the vehicle, do not leave it loose, visible, or sitting in the same compartments everyone checks.
See BoostedSafe EliteSources reviewed: ATF NFCTA Part V, ATF data and statistics, Everytown Research on gun thefts from cars, the live BoostedSafe California PC 25140 explainer, and the live BoostedSafe Elite product page.