Study: Ohio among top 10 states with most motor vehicle thefts
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A recent study claims motor vehicle thefts have increased nationwide, and names Ohio as one of the top 10 states hit hardest by the crime.
A motor vehicle is stolen every 32 seconds in America, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. From 2019 to 2022, motor vehicle thefts increased around 25% in the U.S., research from MarketWatch suggests.
Data for the first half of 2023 shows numbers continued to remain high, with nearly 500,000 vehicles stolen in the first six months of the year, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau.
In a list of states that experienced the most motor vehicle thefts during the first half of 2023, Ohio ranked as the eighth-most affected state in the U.S., experiencing 15,681 motor vehicle thefts.
Taking first place was California, with 99,769 motor vehicle thefts during the first half of 2023. Following the Golden State is Texas (55,365), Florida (22,393), Washington (21,182) and Illinois (20,820).
Illinois had the most significant increase in motor vehicle thefts in the first half of 2023 compared to the same period in 2022, with a 38% jump. New York’s auto theft rates rose 20%, while Ohio’s increased by around 15%, according to MarketWatch.
Ohio ranking in the top 10 states with the most motor vehicle thefts in the first half of 2023 continues a trend from the previous year. In 2022, Ohio was the seventh-most affected state from the thefts (29,913), following California (202,685), Texas (105,015), Washington (46,939), Florida (45,973), Colorado (42,237) and Illinois (38,649).
Social media has played a role in the uptick in car thefts in recent years, with a TikTok trend going viral in 2021 called the "Kia Challenge," showing users how to steal Kias and Hyundais. The trend has resulted in tens of thousands of stolen Kias and Hyundais in recent years, the study said.
The most stolen vehicle models in the country during 2022 were 2004 Chevrolet pickups, 2006 Ford pickups, 2000 Honda Civics, 1997 Honda Accords and 2013 Hyundai Sonatas, according to the study.
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