According to the latest annual report on the “hot spots” of the National Bureau of Crime Control, among American cities, where cars are stolen most often, settlements in the west lead, especially in California, writes Money Talks News.
In compiling the report, a non-profit organization analyzed data on vehicle thefts received from the FBI National Crime Information Center. As a result, US cities with the highest rates of vehicle theft per capita in 2018 were identified.
The list is not the first to lead the city of Albuquerque, New Mexico, despite the fact that compared to 2016, the number of hijackings decreased by 28%.
The National Bureau of Crime Prevention explains the improvement in the fact that the Office for the Prevention of Car Theft was created in the state of New Mexico. But this success was not enough for Albuquerque not to take first place in the list of hot spots.
In these cities, cars are stolen most often:
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Anchorage, Alaska
Bakersfield, CA
Pueblo, Colorado
Modesto, California
Redding, California
Stockton-Lodi, CA
Wichita, KS
Vallejo-Fairfield, CA
St. Joseph, Missouri
The organization explains that the rating results were obtained on the basis of a population survey, therefore “an area with a much smaller population and a moderate number of hijackings often has a higher level of car theft than the area where more hijackings are statistically absorbed by a large number of residents”.
That is why St. Joseph ranks 10th with 674 car thefts, and Los Angeles – 38 with more than 53,000 hijackings.
In general, the statistics of car thefts in the United States in 2018 decreased by 3.3%, according to preliminary data from the FBI. The National Bureau of Crime Prevention notes that the number of thefts has decreased since 2004. In the period from 1991 to 2017, the number of stolen cars decreased by 53%.
The improvement is explained by the fact that “automobile manufacturers, law enforcement agencies and legislative bodies for many years reacted to crimes related to vehicle theft”.
How best to insure the car from theft
If you live in one of the states included in the list of the National Bureau of Anti-Crime, there is a high probability that you pay more for car insurance. Living in an area with a high level of hijacking can increase insurance premiums.
Fortunately, you can optimize the cost of car insurance, regardless of where you live. The best way to do this is to periodically compare your rate with those offered by other insurers. To do this, call several insurance or fill out the forms on their websites.
Picture Credit: RJA1988