A national analysis by American Trucks, using FBI NIBRS and U.S. Census data for 281 cities, reveals wide variation in vehicle-theft risk across California. Oakland ranked worst in the U.S. with 6,431 stolen vehicles in 2025 (about 1,459 per 100,000 residents), while Irvine and Thousand Oaks ranked among the nation’s safest large cities. Nationwide vehicle thefts fell to an estimated 659,880 in 2025 — down about 35% from 2023 — but California still accounted for nearly 137,000 of those thefts (about 21%).
California's Vehicle-Theft Divide: Oakland Tops National List While Irvine, Thousand Oaks Rank Among Safest
An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows A four-lane street lined by tall palm trees as cars are idle at a traffic light and parked cars can be seen on both sides of the road. The street leads toward a distant mountain with hiking trails and buildings typical for Los Angeles under a hazy sky during the day, Image 2 shows San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge with traffic and the San Francisco skyline in the background, Image 3 shows Aerial view of an urban landscape with a parking lot and buildings along Mandela Parkway in West Oakland, California
A new national analysis exposes a sharp divide in vehicle theft risk across California: some cities rank among the nation’s worst for car thefts, while others are among the safest places to park overnight.
A new study found California is home to both the safest city to park your car, and the the worst city for vehicle thefts. Getty Images/iStockphoto
Study Overview
The study, compiled by American Trucks using FBI National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) data and U.S. Census population estimates, compared reported motor vehicle thefts per 100,000 residents across 281 U.S. cities with populations of at least 100,000.
Irvine was rated in the top 10 safest. Getty Images
Oakland: The Nation's Highest Rate
Oakland emerged as the city with the highest vehicle-theft rate in the country. In 2025 the city reported 6,431 stolen vehicles, a rate equivalent to about 1,459 thefts per 100,000 people — roughly 28 times the theft rate recorded in Irvine. Oakland’s figure stands out sharply compared with most other large U.S. cities.
Oakland was rated the number one city in the country for vehicle thefts. Gado via Getty Images
California's Broader Problem—and Bright Spots
California accounted for a disproportionate share of nationwide auto thefts in 2025. The state recorded nearly 137,000 stolen vehicles that year, about 21% of the U.S. total. Five California cities — Oakland, Inglewood, Antioch, Richmond and Hayward — ranked among the top 20 U.S. cities by vehicle-theft rate, and twelve California cities placed in the national top 50.
Five California cities landed in the nation's top 20 for vehicle theft rates, more than any other state. Getty Images
At the same time, several California communities ranked among the nation’s safest large cities for vehicle theft. Irvine was listed as the ninth-safest city overall for vehicle theft (No. 273 nationally), followed closely by Thousand Oaks (No. 272). Carlsbad and Murrieta were also identified as relatively low-risk cities for stolen vehicles.
National Trends
Nationwide, an estimated 659,880 vehicles were stolen in 2025 — roughly one every 48 seconds. That total represents a notable improvement from the 2023 peak of more than 1 million stolen vehicles, a decline of about 35%.
Takeaway: Vehicle-theft risk in California varies dramatically by ZIP code. Residents and visitors should remain vigilant, but local crime levels can differ widely between neighboring communities.
Source: American Trucks analysis of FBI NIBRS data and U.S. Census population estimates (281 cities, 2025 figures).
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