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Although car theft in the United States decreases slightly every year, it’s still a significant problem. According to the Insurance Information Institute (III), the U.S. motor vehicle theft rate in 2007 was 363.3 per 100,000 people. Every 28.8 seconds a car is stolen (2008 FBI data). Theft of components is also a problem, with 75,000 stolen airbags a year reported by the III. The problem is worst in urban areas. The South and West each account for about 36 percent of all car thefts in the country. Taken together, these two regions were the scene of nearly three-quarters of motor vehicle thefts in the United States.

Car theft has been a problem in the United States since cars were invented. A car or other vehicle is stolen in the United States every 28.8 seconds according to 2008 data from the FBI. The chances of your car being stolen in the U.S. are 1 in 210 according to data from federal agencies and the Insurance Information Institute. The odds vary geographically. The Northeast has the lowest incidence of vehicle thefts, about 9.8 percent, and the Midwest 18.2 percent. The South and West have the highest percentage of vehicle thefts, about 36 percent each. Your chances of having your car stolen are highest in urban areas.