America’s great love of pickup trucks is not limited to those who acquire them by legal means. Thieves love the vehicle type, too, and, in 2021, pickup trucks were the most stolen vehicle in the vast majority of the states.
The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) reports that a pickup truck was the most commonly stolen vehicle type in 36 of America’s 50 states. In fact, in 27 states, pickups were the two most commonly stolen vehicles.
In most cases, Chevrolet and Ford’s full-size pickups were the prime targets for thieves and older models were preferred. Indeed, the Chevrolet Silverado was the most frequently stolen vehicle in America in 2021, according to the bureau. Along with the GMC Sierra, Chevrolet and Ford’s pickups accounted for 14 percent of all vehicles stolen in America in 2021.
Read Also: Thieves Were Crazy About Pickups In 2020 As Overall Automotive Thefts See Dramatic Rise
Since states in which pickups were the most and the two most stolen vehicles were in the majority, it’s actually easier to list the places where pickups weren’t the most commonly stolen vehicles. You can, however, peruse the full list by scrolling at the end of the article.
The Honda Accord was the most commonly stolen vehicle in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Virginia. The Jeep Cherokee/Grand Cherokee was the biggest target in Illinois, the Dodge Charger was popular among Michiganders, the Honda Civic attracted Minnesotan thieves, and Vermonters preferred the Subaru Forester. It will surprise few, given recent news reports, to hear that the Hyundai Elantra was the top target in Wisconsin.
Even when counting U.S. territories that aren’t states, pickups are the most commonly stolen vehicles in more than half of all jurisdictions. The Toyota Camry, however, was the biggest target in the District of Columbia, and the Kia Sportage was popular among Puerto Rican thieves.
Overall, the Honda Civic, Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Nissan Altima, Honda CR-V, and Toyota Corolla accounted 15 percent of all stolen passenger vehicles in the country. Nearly 1 million vehicles were stolen nationwide, reports the NICB, an eight percent uptick from the previous year, which it attributes to rising used car prices.
The NICB recommends always locking your doors, rolling up your windows, and keeping valuables out of view when you leave your vehicle. It also suggests never leaving a running vehicle unattended and keeping the key fob far away from the vehicle when it’s not in use.
