California is home to seven of the top 10 worst cities for vehicle theft (San Jose: 2015, insurance)

[caliguy92832]

These are worst cities in the nation for car theft - Business Insider

The Golden State is the land of golden opportunities for car thieves as California was home to seven of the top 10 areas for vehicle theft in 2014, according to a recent report. More cars were stolen from San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward metro area per capita than any other area in the country: a combined 29,093 stolen cars in 2014, or 633.3 thefts per 100,000 people.

In one sense, California sitting atop the list isn’t entirely surprising: it has the most cars. Combine that with the climate, which helps cars remain in better condition, and it adds to the equation.

While many would look to large cities to dominate the list, the NICB notes that isn’t the case. Areas with smaller populations and a “moderate number of thefts” often have a higher rate of vehicles stolen. Here are the top ten worst cities by car theft rate from 2014.

Worst cities in the nation for car theft
1. San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA
2. Bakersfield, CA
3. Stockton-Lodi, CA
4. Odessa, TX
5. Modesto, CA
6. Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
7. Vallejo-Fairfield, CA
8. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
9. Fresno, CA
10. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA

[LuvSouthOC]

True but, it's not So. Cal

[expatCA]

Originally Posted by caliguy92832

These are worst cities in the nation for car theft - Business Insider

The Golden State is the land of golden opportunities for car thieves as California was home to seven of the top 10 areas for vehicle theft in 2014, according to a recent report. More cars were stolen from San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward metro area per capita than any other area in the country: a combined 29,093 stolen cars in 2014, or 633.3 thefts per 100,000 people.

In one sense, California sitting atop the list isn’t entirely surprising: it has the most cars. Combine that with the climate, which helps cars remain in better condition, and it adds to the equation.

While many would look to large cities to dominate the list, the NICB notes that isn’t the case. Areas with smaller populations and a “moderate number of thefts” often have a higher rate of vehicles stolen. Here are the top ten worst cities by car theft rate from 2014.

Worst cities in the nation for car theft
1. San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA
2. Bakersfield, CA
3. Stockton-Lodi, CA
4. Odessa, TX
5. Modesto, CA
6. Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
7. Vallejo-Fairfield, CA
8. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
9. Fresno, CA
10. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA

Wow one TX city and the balance the West Coast.

[expatCA]

Originally Posted by LuvSouthOC

True but, it's not So. Cal

The roads are too crowded to get away.

[3rdGen SFan]

I wouldn't doubt that San Francisco is also at the top of the list for the auto break-in kind of theft. There's so much glass from broken vehicle windows in some areas that it's hard to keep my bicycle tires from getting cut up & flattened from broken glass, and I have witnessed some of the auto break-ins.

Bicycle thefts are WAY UP as well. I have witnessed many (including one yesterday night), and the sidewalk bike chop shops pop up all over.

Electronic gadget thefts are up--cellphones, cameras, laptops. I keep hearing about those thefts a lot.

Crimes of theft have no doubt increased dramatically over the years of the gentrification & huge class division. I guess it's because there are a lot more things of value here and a lot more homeless & poor, many of who are drug addicts who steal to buy & trade for their fixes. In and around the bike chop shop areas and places where the homeless sell stolen items, it's common to see them smoking meth or crack and shooting up.

[UB50]

Originally Posted by 3rdGen SFan

Crimes of theft have no doubt increased dramatically over the years of the gentrification & huge class division. I guess it's because there are a lot more things of value here and a lot more homeless & poor, many of who are drug addicts who steal to buy & trade for their fixes. In and around the bike chop shop areas and places where the homeless sell stolen items, it's common to see them smoking meth or crack and shooting up.

Maybe I'm blind, but I don't see a lot of drug users around LA. I do see a lot of poor people, but not that many who look like they are doing crack or meth. (And I grew up around a lot of drug abuse in Florida so it's not like I don't know what it looks like.)

[2sleepy]

I wonder if the areas with the highest rate of auto theft also have a higher than average number of old cars. It's way beyond the expertise of an average thief to steal a newer car, it's tough to even leave your keys in one; I have a 2011 SUV and it squeals like a stuck pig if I leave the keys in it and walk 15 feet away.

[nightlysparrow]

Just get a manual transmission. Most young thieves can't drive them.

[wutitiz]

I'm not surprised that Washington has 2 of the top 10. CA has about 6 times the population of WA, also. The problem is that law enforcement does not enforce.

I heard of exactly one bait car operation that was done here in Bellevue in the 20+years I've lived in the Seattle area. It was a success too--they caught at least one thief. They do dozens upon dozens of prostitution stings. They even did seatbelt stings for a while where a cop dressed as a panhandler would peer into cars to see if you were buckled up. If not he would radio ahead to a patrol car that would pull over and ticket.

A local newspaper columnist had his car broken into and tracked the thief via 'find my Iphone.' He found the thief, called 911, but the Seattle cops would not respond.
Police allow car break-ins to become a Seattle growth industry | The Seattle Times

[caliguy92832]

10-15 years ago, Arizona and Nevada were at the top.....

Top 10 cities in U.S. for auto theft