New data reveals which Seattle neighborhoods are hit the hardest by car theft
Sep 22, 2022, 12:56 PM
(Photo via Flickr Creative Commons)
(Photo via Flickr Creative Commons)
There were nearly one million car thefts in cities across the U.S. in 2021, and trends for 2022 show that number is only going up, according to a new report from the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB).
That goes for Seattle, too.
Data from Seattle’s Crime dashboard indicates 4,293 vehicles have been stolen so far in 2022 — about a 19% rise since the 3,697 reported by the end of September 2021.
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Every month of 2022 has logged considerably higher rates of vehicle theft than the same months of the previous year. In 2020 and 2021, car thefts rose in Seattle throughout the summer and early fall, peaking in December. Current trends again show an upward trajectory headed into the colder months.
The most heavily hit areas for stolen cars remain unchanged since 2020, according to the city’s crime map: Queen Anne, Northgate and Capitol Hill.
Car thefts by neighborhoods for 2022 (SPD)
NICB’s report says the U.S. saw the highest number of stolen cars last year since 2008.
KIRO Newsradio has reached out to the Seattle Police Department for comment.
