Crimewave: Vehicle Thefts Up 16% In Massachusetts

MASSACHUSETTS— Vehicle thefts are surging nationwide, with Massachusetts driveways among the hottest hot spots.

A new report released by the National Insurance Crime Bureau shows vehicle thefts in the state increased 16 percent from 2022 to 2023, breaking the previous record set the year before. The grim stat puts Massachusetts in the top four states nationwide, behind Maryland, Connecticut and Nevada, as well as Washington D.C.

The car theft crime rate in Massachusetts far exceeds the average across the country, according to NICB. Nationwide, vehicle thefts more than one million vehicles were reported stolen, and overall vehicle thefts increased about one percent, from 1,008,756 in 2022 to 1,020,729 in 2023.

Insurance analysts have tracked vehicle theft rates rising steadily since 2019. California accounted for the highest number of vehicle thefts nationwide in 2023 with 208,668 vehicles reported stolen. The District of Columbia had the highest theft rate across the nation in 2023 with 1,149.71 thefts per 100,000 people, which is over three times the national theft rate.

A growing number of thefts cannot be chalked up to careless owners leaving their keys in the ignition, or brute force break-ins, according to NICB."

Criminals are employing increasingly sophisticated methods to steal vehicles, including the use of advanced technology to bypass security systems," said David J. Glawe, President and CEO of NICB. "From keyless entry hacks to relay attacks on key fobs, perpetrators are exploiting vulnerabilities in modern vehicle security measures with alarming success rates."

Read the full report from NICB by clicking here.