U.S. Car Theft Trends 2025: Top Stolen Cars & Highest Risk States

Car theft in the U.S. is finally slowing down a bit, which is nice. Fewer cars are getting stolen than last year. But let’s not celebrate too hard — that still means thousands of cars disappear every single day.

And if you’re wondering whether it’s random… it’s really not. Where you live matters. A lot.

Some states just have a much higher chance of turning a normal morning into a very bad one. Missouri is one of them. Cities like Kansas City and St. Louis see cars vanish constantly, and it’s usually the same types: older Hyundais, Kias, and full-size pickups. If it’s easy to steal or easy to resell, it’s on the list.

Colorado has improved, but Denver still has a reputation for a reason. Theft there is common enough that most locals aren’t even shocked by it anymore. New Mexico isn’t much better — Albuquerque in particular — where trucks disappear so often it almost feels expected. Add Nevada to the mix, especially around North Las Vegas, and you start seeing the same pattern over and over.

Then there’s California. No surprise there. With that many cars on the road, theft is part of the landscape. Pickups and SUVs go first, especially Chevy Silverados. Hondas and Hyundais follow right behind, usually older models without newer security tech.

The annoying truth is that most stolen cars aren’t taken because someone was careless or unlucky. They’re taken because they were easy. Thieves don’t want drama — they want quick.

Locking your car, parking somewhere visible, throwing on a steering wheel lock or a tracker won’t make your car invincible. But it might make it just annoying enough that whoever’s looking moves on.

Car theft is dropping overall, sure. But depending on where you live and what you drive, it’s still very much something to think about.