Where Rhode Island Ranks When It Comes To Car Theft

See how likely it is for your car to get stolen in Rhode Island compared to other state.

By Joseph Hosey, Patch Staff

Jul 29, 2026 7:27 PM EDT

A recent study determined which states were hardest hit by car thieves.

The study, conducted by the researchers at Abogados NOW, a "Hispanic marketing agency for law firms," examined "five years of motor vehicle theft data from the FBI Crime Data Explorer to determine where car theft is most common in America," according to a media release.

"The research looked at both the total number of reported motor vehicle thefts and the theft rate per 100,000 residents, with the final ranking based on the population-adjusted rate," the release said.

Rhode Island had the 10th fewest motor vehicle thefts per 100,000 residents of the 50 states, the study revealed.

Colorado had the most and was followed by Nevada and Washington.

The states with the smallest number per 100,000 residents were New Hampshire, Maine and Idaho.

"Car theft is not just an inconvenience for drivers,"

"For many Americans, losing a vehicle can mean losing the ability to get to work, take children to school, attend medical appointments, or manage everyday responsibilities," Hugo E. Gomez, a spokesperson for Abogados NOW, said in the release.

"What this study shows is that car theft risk is heavily shaped by location," Gomez said.

"States with large metro areas, busy commuter routes, tourist hubs, ports, and high vehicle turnover can create more opportunities for thieves," he said. "In some areas, older vehicles may be targeted because they are easier to steal, while in others, newer cars can be vulnerable to more sophisticated tactics such as keyless entry attacks, cloned keys, or vehicle identification fraud."