NICB's 2014 Hot Spots Vehicle Theft Report

NICB’s 2014 Hot Spots Vehicle Theft Report

San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont MSA Earns Top Spot for the Nation

DES PLAINES, IL -- June 24, 2015: California’s San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) had the nation’s highest per capita vehicle theft rate in 2014, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau’s (NICB) latest Hot Spots report.

NICB’s Hot Spots report examines vehicle theft data obtained from the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) for each of the nation’s MSAs. MSAs are designated by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and often include areas much larger than the cities for which they are named. For example, the Bakersfield, Calif., MSA includes all thefts within the entire county of Kern, not just the city of Bakersfield.

Moreover, as a population-based survey, an area with a much smaller population and a moderate number of thefts can—and often does—have a higher theft rate than an area with a much more significant vehicle theft problem and a larger population to absorb it.

For 2014, the 10 MSAs with the highest vehicle theft rates were: (thefts in parentheses)

	2014 Ranking	2013 Ranking
1.	San Francisco/Oakland/Hayward, Calif. (29,093)	4. (29,326)
2.	Bakersfield, Calif. (5,211)	1. (6,267)
3.	Stockton-Lodi, Calif. (4,245)	5. (4,245)
4.	Odessa, Texas (886)	12. (764)
5.	Modesto, Calif. (3,047)	3. (3,565)
6.	Spokane-Spokane Valley, Wash. (3,032)	7. (3,205)
7.	Vallejo-Fairfield, Calif. (2,414)	8. (2,540)
8.	Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, Wash. (20,268)	13. (18,128)
9.	Fresno, Calif. (5,260)	2. (6,750)
10.	San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, Calif. (10,531)	9. (10,925)

Although vehicle thefts are down dramatically around the nation, the reasons they are stolen remain the same. Older vehicles are stolen primarily for their parts value while newer, high-end vehicles often are shipped overseas or, after some disguising, sold to an innocent buyer locally.

Others, meanwhile, are still taken for the oldest of motivations—a “joyride” and when the thrill is gone, it is abandoned undamaged.

The full Hot Spots report is available at www.nicb.org.

NICB recommends that drivers follow our four “ layers of protection” to guard against vehicle theft:

Common Sense — The common sense approach to protection is the easiest and most cost-effective way to thwart would-be thieves. You should always:

Remove your keys from the ignition
Lock your doors /close your windows
Park in a well-lit area

Warning Device — The second layer of protection is a visible or audible device which alerts thieves that your vehicle is protected. Popular devices include:

Audible alarms
Steering column collars
Steering wheel/brake pedal lock
Brake locks
Wheel locks
Theft deterrent decals
Identification markers in or on vehicle
VIN etching
Micro dot marking

Immobilizing Device — The third layer of protection is a device which prevents thieves from bypassing your ignition and hot-wiring the vehicle. Some electronic devices have computer chips in ignition keys. Other devices inhibit the flow of electricity or fuel to the engine until a hidden switch or button is activated. Some examples are:

Smart keys
Fuse cut-offs
Kill switches
Starter, ignition, and fuel pump disablers
Wireless ignition authentication

Tracking Device — The final layer of protection is a tracking device which emits a signal to police or a monitoring station when the vehicle is stolen. Tracking devices are very effective in helping authorities recover stolen vehicles. Some systems employ “telematics” which combine GPS and wireless technologies to allow remote monitoring of a vehicle. If the vehicle is moved, the system will alert the owner and the vehicle can be tracked via computer.

Anyone with information concerning insurance fraud or vehicle theft can report it anonymously by calling toll-free 800-TEL-NICB (800-835-6422), texting keyword “fraud” to TIP411 (847411) or submitting a form on our website. Or, download the NICB Fraud Tips app on your iPhone or Android device.