Washington leads nation with largest decrease in vehicle thefts
Oct 16, 2025, 2:02 PM | Updated: Oct 22, 2025, 12:59 pm
A photo of a broken passenger car window. (Photo: Brandon Bell, Getty Images)
(Photo: Brandon Bell, Getty Images)
Over the first six months of 2025, Washington reported the largest decrease in vehicle thefts in the country, which was 42% lower than the first six months of 2024.
In turn, Washington ranked 10th-highest in vehicle theft rate, at 115.20 per 100,000 residents, the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) announced.
Only one U.S. territory, Puerto Rico, had a higher improvement in vehicle thefts than Washington, as it reported a 43% drop in vehicle thefts.
“The significant declines we are seeing in 2025 demonstrate the effectiveness of collaborative efforts by law enforcement, automakers, insurers, and the National Insurance Crime Bureau,” David J. Glawe, President and CEO of NICB, said.
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Vehicle thefts across the U.S.
As a whole, vehicle thefts nationwide fell 23% over the first two quarters of 2025 compared to the first half of 2024.
In the first two quarters of 2024, the number of vehicle thefts nationwide was 435,754. In the first half of 2025, a total of 334,114 vehicles were reported as stolen.
“After years of a pandemic-fueled surge in thefts peaked in 2023, stolen vehicle figures are now trending towards pre-pandemic levels,” NICB stated. “If current trends continue through the end of 2025, vehicle theft totals are set to decrease nationwide for the second consecutive year.”
Alaska was the only state to report an increase in vehicle thefts, with a rise of 26%.
Which car model is most susceptible to theft
The most stolen car model in Washington for 2024 was the Hyundai Elantra, with 1,379 vehicles reported stolen.
In 2025, the Hyundai Elantra was also the most stolen vehicle in the country, as 11,329 vehicles were stolen in the first half of the year.
Over the course of 2024, 31,712 Hyundai Elantras were reported stolen in the U.S.
A trend on TikTok in 2022 challenged thieves to steal a variety of Kia and Hyundai models made between 2010 and 2021. The trend, derived from the hashtag “Kia Boyz,” involved thieves using a USB cord to hotwire vehicles.
In September 2024, a total of 1,115 vehicles were stolen in King County, and 386 were reported stolen in Pierce County, which equates to approximately 37 stolen cars per day in King County and nearly 13 stolen cars per day in Pierce County, according to a report from the Puget Sound Auto Theft Task Force. Despite the alarming numbers, it was an improvement from 2023.
“There has been a decline in the number of auto thefts compared to this time last year,” the Puget Sound Auto Theft Task Force wrote in its report. “We believe this is due, in part, to several key arrests of ‘Kia Boyz’ who were operating throughout the region and stealing numerous vehicles each week.”
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