Crime & Safety

L.A. County: Home of a Quarter of All Stolen Cars in State

The most stolen car was a Honda Accord—model years 1995, 1996 and 1997.

Vehicle thefts throughout California dropped last year, but Los Angeles had the most of any county in the state – 24.4 percent of all cars stolen, according to figures released today.

The California Highway Patrol's final statistics on auto thefts for 2013 show 171,036 cars, light trucks, SUVs, motorcycles, commercial trucks and trailers were stolen statewide, representing a roughly 2 percent decline from 2012. Combined, the purloined vehicles had a value of more than $1 billion.

L.A. saw 41,811 thefts, but that’s 2.9 percent lower than 2012, according to the CHP.

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The statewide recovery rate for stolen autos last year was 89 percent; in Los Angeles, it was 88 percent, according to the CHP.

The CHP said 64 percent of recovered vehicles were "intact and in drivable condition." The remaining recoveries had major parts missing or had been badly damaged.

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"A combination of advances in technology, aggressive police work by all law enforcement agencies involved in joint auto theft task forces, and preventative measures by the public are making it more difficult for thieves to steal a vehicle," said CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow.

Just under 50 percent of statewide vehicle thefts in 2013 occurred in Southern California.

Cars, mainly the compact variety, represented the most favored target of thieves. According to the CHP, the Honda Accord—model years 1995, 1996 and 1997—ranked at the top.

—City News Service

Patch Editor Penny Arévalo contributed to this report. 


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