Holiday Vehicle Theft Warning: Florida and New York Named America’s Christmas Car Theft Capitals
With the holiday season fast approaching and millions of Americans heading out for Christmas shopping, family visits, and winter getaways, experts at Compare the Market analyzed FBI data revealing that car thefts spike sharply each December – with some states seeing increases of more than 500% in recent years during the festive month.
The FBI Crime Data Explorer figures reveal which U.S. states have seen the biggest surges in motor vehicle thefts during December, with Florida and New York topping the list.
Between December 2021 and December 2024, Florida recorded a staggering 569% increase in motor thefts, rising from 795 incidents per 100k in 2021 to 5,320 per 100k in 2024.
New York follows with a 287% increase, while Alaska (+213%), California (+160%), and Nebraska (+136%) also saw significant festive-season spikes.
| State | Total Car Thefts December 2021 per 100k | Total Car Thefts December 2024 per 100k | Total car Thefts in December per 100k in 5 years | % Increase/Decrease 2021/2024 |
| Florida | 795 | 5320 | 65011 | 569% |
| New York | 489 | 1891 | 9393 | 287% |
| Alaska | 46 | 144 | 675 | 213% |
| California | 4487 | 11684 | 63470 | 160% |
| Nebraska | 146 | 345 | 2004 | 136% |
| Arizona | 596 | 1399 | 7064 | 135% |
| Maryland | 812 | 1769 | 7865 | 118% |
| Pennsylvania | 1076 | 1962 | 9036 | 82% |
| Illinois | 1831 | 2557 | 13267 | 40% |
| New Jersey | 991 | 1328 | 5974 | 34% |
| Delaware | 127 | 166 | 796 | 31% |
| District of Columbia | 330 | 427 | 2033 | 29% |
| North Carolina | 1717 | 2080 | 9929 | 21% |
| National | 58862 | 66504 | 416621 | 13% |
| Maine | 60 | 67 | 365 | 12% |
| Connecticut | 597 | 661 | 3671 | 11% |
| Indiana | 1209 | 1259 | 6130 | 4% |
| Ohio | 1918 | 1964 | 10747 | 2% |
| Nevada | 1186 | 1211 | 6425 | 2% |
| Georgia | 1582 | 1578 | 9334 | 0% |
| Texas | 7786 | 7753 | 42630 | 0% |
| Kansas | 558 | 549 | 2869 | -2% |
| Tennessee | 1756 | 1724 | 10906 | -2% |
| New Hampshire | 63 | 61 | 325 | -3% |
| Alabama | 736 | 712 | 3137 | -3% |
| Kentucky | 837 | 787 | 4700 | -6% |
| New Mexico | 875 | 806 | 4311 | -8% |
| Vermont | 43 | 39 | 191 | -9% |
| Michigan | 1885 | 1695 | 9783 | -10% |
| Missouri | 2052 | 1740 | 10960 | -15% |
| Mississippi | 261 | 209 | 1266 | -20% |
| Iowa | 451 | 357 | 2217 | -21% |
| South Carolina | 1230 | 924 | 5541 | -25% |
| Montana | 190 | 140 | 937 | -26% |
| Massachusetts | 664 | 481 | 2834 | -28% |
| Virginia | 1167 | 826 | 5432 | -29% |
| South Dakota | 191 | 135 | 804 | -29% |
| North Dakota | 169 | 113 | 774 | -33% |
| Idaho | 137 | 84 | 609 | -39% |
| Hawaii | 664 | 400 | 2793 | -40% |
| Minnesota | 1393 | 839 | 5947 | -40% |
| Wyoming | 70 | 41 | 322 | -41% |
| West Virginia | 147 | 86 | 675 | -41% |
| Rhode Island | 138 | 80 | 642 | -42% |
| Colorado | 3789 | 2124 | 15798 | -44% |
| Washington | 4201 | 2352 | 18040 | -44% |
| Utah | 626 | 349 | 2807 | -44% |
| Oklahoma | 1178 | 655 | 5002 | -44% |
| Wisconsin | 1456 | 774 | 5058 | -47% |
| Arkansas | 730 | 388 | 2901 | -47% |
| Louisiana | 1098 | 530 | 5590 | -52% |
| Oregon | 2326 | 939 | 7631 | -60% |
In contrast, other states have seen sharp declines in festive car thefts. Oregon recorded the steepest drop, with reports falling 60% between 2021 and 2024, followed by Louisiana (-52%), Arkansas (-47%), and Wisconsin (-47%).
The national average shows a small overall rise of 13% in vehicle thefts during December over the four-year period, highlighting how the festive season remains a high-risk time for motorists despite improvements in some regions.
Experts insights
Manager of General Insurance, Adrian Taylor, to urge motorists to check they have relevant car insurance in the event their vehicle or its contents are stolen.
“With millions of theft happening across the country every year, if motorists haven’t got the relevant insurance in place, this could leave them thousands out of pocket. With recent reports of opportunist thieves using third-party electronic devices to override the systems of vehicles, drivers need to be more vigilant than ever when it comes to covering themselves.
“Not all policies may cover theft. Higher levels of cover such as Comprehensive and Third Party Fire and Theft can cover it, but lower levels of cover may not. It’s crucial to view the policy wording of your insurance to see if you’re covered for theft.”
For more information on the study, and for further information around protecting your vehicle, please visit https://www.comparethemarket.
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