Vehicle theft is a multi-billion-dollar industry in the United States, disrupting millions of vehicle owners’ lives, stripping them of their security and mobility. In 2025, 659,880 vehicles were stolen – representing a 23% decrease in vehicle theft totals from the previous year. Estimates indicate that a vehicle is stolen roughly every 48 seconds, and by 2025, Pennsylvania was ranked as the 7th state with the highest number of vehicle thefts.
Passenger cars make up most of the stolen vehicles, and summer months have the highest reported occurrences of vehicle thefts in the United States. The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) urges vehicle owners to take these steps to keep their vehicles and any valuables inside them safe at all times.
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Park in well-lit areas.
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Close and lock all windows and doors when parked.
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Hide valuables.
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Do not leave keys in the vehicle.
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Do not leave the area while the vehicle is running.
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Consider purchasing extra layers of protection for a vehicle if the vehicle’s manufacturer does not provide an anti-theft system. These can easily be purchased online or in a store.
For more information on motor vehicle theft prevention, visit NHTSA.gov/VehicleTheftPrevention.