Overview

• A California Highway Patrol report found 176,230 vehicles stolen in 2024, marking a 13% decrease from the previous year and the first year-over-year drop since 2019
• Thefts declined in 48 of the state’s 58 counties, including all 10 most populous areas, with Riverside County leading the decrease at 24%
• Officials recovered nearly 85% of stolen vehicles, with more than half returned intact and roughly 29% reported burned or wrecked
• The estimated value of vehicles stolen last year reached $1.56 billion, and the 2015 Kia Optima and Chevrolet Silverado remained the most targeted models
• Governor Gavin Newsom attributed the downturn to expanded CHP surge deployments and strengthened collaboration with local law enforcement