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A Historical Analysis of Vehicle Theft in California 1960 - 2013


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Golden State Thefts Down 48 Percent from Their Peak

DES PLAINES, Il -- Dec. 16, 2014: The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) today released a historic look at vehicle theft in the Golden State. From its peak auto theft year in 1992 when 320,112 vehicles were stolen, California has experienced a significant decline ending 2013 with 165,292 thefts. That's a reduction of over 48 percent since 1992.

California has the distinction of being the only state to have the most vehicle thefts for each year since 1960. But that title has also given rise to some innovative law enforcement programs; among them the use of bait cars and license plate readers. In short, technology has had a huge positive impact.

Not only is law enforcement exploiting technology, but auto manufacturers have been outfitting vehicles with more and more theft prevention products—from smart keys to immobilizers to tracking systems. So vehicles today are much harder to steal and that is good news for everyone who owns a vehicle.

Even though auto theft is affecting fewer people these days, if you are one of its unfortunate victims, it can be a real hassle recovering from the loss. That is why NICB consistently reminds people to take precautions against vehicle theft and to follow its "layers of protection."