KC ranks among top 10 cities for car theft. Which makes and models are stolen the most? [The Kansas City Star]

Kansas City Star (MO)

Kansas City is a top location for vehicle theft in the United States, according to data from the National Insurance Crime Bureau, an insurance industry group with a stated mission of combating car insurance fraud.

Last year, Missouri ranked seventh in the nation for vehicle thefts by state. And in the first half of 2023 alone, the state experienced 13,347 vehicle thefts — a 3% increase over the first half of 2022. Kansas didn’t make the list of top ten states for vehicle theft last year or this year.

The Kansas City metro area also saw a significant vehicle theft rate last year, ranking 10th in the nation with around 573 thefts per 100,000 residents.

The most commonly stolen vehicles in Missouri and Kansas are similar, but not exactly the same. Large pickup trucks are a common target for car thieves, with Ford pickups leading the list in both states. Vehicles from Hyundai, Honda and Chevrolet are also popular targets.

Here’s a closer look at which makes and models are most frequently stolen in each state.

Most commonly stolen vehicles in Missouri

Ford Pickup (Full Size)

Hyundai Elantra

Chevrolet Pickup (Full Size)

Hyundai Sonata

Kia OPTIMA

Dodge Pickup (Full Size)

Kia Sportage

Kia Soul

Kia Forte

Chevrolet Malibu

Most commonly stolen vehicles in Kansas

Ford Pickup (Full Size)

Chevrolet Pickup (Full Size)

Dodge Pickup (Full Size)

Honda Civic

GMC Pickup (Full Size)

Honda Accord

Chevrolet Malibu

Ford Fusion

Hyundai Sonata

Chevrolet Impala

Drivers worried about theft will be relieved to know that over 85% of the vehicles stolen in 2022 were later recovered — and 34% of them were found on the same day they were stolen.

National Insurance Crime Bureau president David J. Glawe recommended a few simple steps to reduce your vehicle’s chance of being stolen.

“First, remove valuables from the vehicle or lock them out of sight. Next, lock the doors, roll the windows all the way up, and don’t leave your keys or key fob in the car,” he said.

Do you have more questions about crime in Kansas City? Ask the Service Journalism team at kcq@kcstar.com.