The National Insurance Crime Bureau's 2025 vehicle theft data shows two things at once: vehicle theft fell sharply nationwide, but theft activity still concentrates in specific metro areas. For firearm owners, that local concentration matters because a parked vehicle is often the weak point.
The 2025 national picture
NICB reported 659,880 vehicle thefts across the United States in 2025. That was a 23% decrease from 2024 and the second straight year of major decline after the post-2020 spike.
That decline is real, but it does not make vehicle theft a small problem. NICB noted that even with the historic drop, one vehicle was still stolen every 48 seconds in 2025.
Council on Criminal Justice city data points in the same direction. In its year-end 2025 update, CCJ found that average reported motor vehicle theft rates in its study cities were 27% lower in 2025 than in 2024.
The top two metros by vehicle theft rate
NICB ranked metropolitan areas by theft rate per 100,000 people for metros with more than 1,000 thefts. In that rate ranking, the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont metro area was first at 477.51 thefts per 100,000 people. Bakersfield-Delano was second at 477.27.
Those two rates are nearly tied. They also placed both California metros above every other qualifying metro in the NICB rate ranking.
That does not mean the rate is a perfect individual-vehicle probability. The denominator is population, not registered vehicles. But it is still a strong signal that vehicle theft activity is concentrated in those metro areas.
| Rank by rate | Metro area | 2025 theft rate | How to read it |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 477.51 per 100,000 people | Highest qualifying metro rate in NICB's 2025 data. |
| 2 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | 477.27 per 100,000 people | Essentially tied with the top-ranked metro by rate. |
| 3 | Memphis, TN | 427.75 per 100,000 people | Previously the highest-rate metro, now third in NICB's 2025 rate ranking. |
Top metros by total vehicle theft volume
Rate is not the same as total volume. A metro can have a lower per-capita rate but still record more total thefts because it has a larger population and more vehicles moving through it.
NICB's top total-theft metro in 2025 was Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim with 53,911 thefts. New York-Newark-Jersey City was second with 27,138, followed by Chicago-Naperville-Elgin with 24,299.
| Rank by volume | Metro area | 2025 total thefts |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 53,911 |
| 2 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 27,138 |
| 3 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 24,299 |
| 4 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 23,659 |
| 5 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 22,197 |
Top states by total vehicle theft volume
California led the country in total vehicle thefts in 2025, with 136,988 reported stolen vehicles. NICB reported that this was more than 20% of the national total.
Texas, Illinois, Florida, and New York rounded out the top five states by total vehicle theft volume. This ranking is partly about population size, so it should not be read the same way as a per-capita metro ranking.
| Rank | State | 2025 total thefts |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 136,988 |
| 2 | Texas | 75,269 |
| 3 | Illinois | 28,327 |
| 4 | Florida | 27,142 |
| 5 | New York | 24,206 |
Most stolen vehicles in 2025
NICB reported the Hyundai Elantra as the most stolen vehicle model in 2025, with 21,732 thefts nationwide. The Honda Accord was second at 17,797, followed by the Hyundai Sonata at 17,687.
NICB also reported that Hyundai and Kia thefts continued to decline for the third consecutive year, with those manufacturers accounting for 14% of all vehicle thefts in 2025, down from 16% in 2024 and 21% in 2023.
| Rank | Make and model | 2025 theft total |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hyundai Elantra | 21,732 |
| 2 | Honda Accord | 17,797 |
| 3 | Hyundai Sonata | 17,687 |
| 4 | Chevrolet Silverado 1500 | 16,764 |
| 5 | Honda Civic | 12,725 |
What this means for firearm owners
NICB's report is about vehicle theft, not gun theft from vehicles. That distinction matters. A stolen vehicle and a firearm stolen from inside a vehicle are related risks, but they are not the same dataset.
That is why NICB's Hot Spots data should be read alongside vehicle-gun-theft research. Everytown's city-level analysis ranked Memphis, Atlanta, St. Louis, Richmond, and San Antonio as the top cities for guns stolen from cars by rate. NICB's 2025 Hot Spots ranking points to San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont and Bakersfield-Delano for overall vehicle theft rate.
For the owner, the lesson is not complicated: a vehicle can be targeted for different reasons. If a firearm or high-value item has to stay in the vehicle, it should not be loose, visible, or stored in the same compartments thieves already check.
Practical storage in higher-theft metros
A high-theft metro does not require a completely different storage philosophy. It makes the basics more important.
Lock the vehicle. Take the keys. Remove visible bags, holsters, electronics, firearm cases, and backpacks. Park in well-lit areas when possible. If a firearm has to stay in the vehicle, secure it before you arrive, not after you park in public view.
BoostedSafe Elite is designed for that routine. It disguises as a booster seat, locks, and anchors into compatible rear-seat LATCH or ISOFIX points. That does not make any vehicle safe theft-proof. It gives owners a better plan than leaving valuables loose or visible.
Vehicle theft storage checklist
- Check whether your destination metro has high vehicle theft rates.
- Do not leave firearms, holsters, range bags, electronics, or backpacks visible.
- Secure valuables before you arrive, not after you park.
- Use locked storage if a firearm must stay in the vehicle.
- Use storage that attaches to the vehicle when compatible.
- Lock the vehicle, close windows, and take the keys.
- Park in well-lit, higher-traffic areas when possible.
- Check state storage laws if the vehicle is parked across state lines.
Internal BoostedSafe reads
These related BoostedSafe guides help separate vehicle theft, gun theft from cars, and state-specific storage law.
How private-citizen theft and gun theft from vehicles show up in national and city-level data.
Read the data guideEverytown's top-five city ranking for gun thefts from vehicles.
Read the city rankingCalifornia's handgun storage rule for unattended vehicles.
Read the California explainerHidden, locked, anchor-based vehicle storage for compatible vehicles.
See BoostedSafe EliteOfficial sources to read
Use the original sources below to review the data directly. NICB is the primary source for the 2025 vehicle theft totals, metro rates, state totals, and most-stolen vehicle models.
Primary source for national totals, top metros, top states, and most-stolen vehicle models.
Read NICB reportEarlier NICB update showing the 2025 vehicle theft decline trend.
Read NICB updateCouncil on Criminal Justice report showing motor vehicle theft trends in its study cities.
Read CCJ reportNICB's practical theft-prevention advice for vehicle owners.
Read NICB tipsFrequently asked questions
Did vehicle theft really drop in 2025?
Yes. NICB reported 659,880 vehicle thefts in 2025, a 23% decrease from 2024. CCJ also found a decline in motor vehicle theft rates across its study cities.
Does a national decline mean vehicle theft is no longer a serious risk?
No. The decline is good news, but NICB still reported hundreds of thousands of stolen vehicles in 2025. The risk is also concentrated in specific metro areas.
Which metros had the highest vehicle theft rates in NICB's 2025 data?
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont ranked first at 477.51 thefts per 100,000 people. Bakersfield-Delano ranked second at 477.27. Memphis ranked third at 427.75.
Is NICB's vehicle theft ranking the same as Everytown's gun-theft-from-cars ranking?
No. NICB ranks overall vehicle theft. Everytown's analysis focuses on guns stolen from cars. The two rankings are related, but they measure different things.
Why does rate matter instead of just total thefts?
Total thefts show the overall burden in a metro or state. Rates per 100,000 people help compare places of different sizes. Both are useful, but they answer different questions.
What should firearm owners do with this information?
Use the data as a reason to tighten the storage routine. Do not leave a firearm loose, visible, or in a predictable compartment. Use locked, hidden, vehicle-attached storage where appropriate.
Does BoostedSafe make a vehicle theft-proof?
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 theft may be down. Storage still matters.
NICB's 2025 data shows progress, not the end of the problem. If a firearm or high-value item has to stay in the vehicle, keep it hidden, locked, and connected to the vehicle when compatible.
See BoostedSafe EliteSources reviewed: NICB 2025 vehicle theft report, NICB first-half 2025 update, Council on Criminal Justice year-end 2025 update, the uploaded BoostedSafe blog brief, the uploaded BoostedSafe image URL list, and the live BoostedSafe Elite product page.