Time is you enemy, don't hesistate. Call the authorities immediately.
On average you have a 26 minute window of opportunity to find your stolen vehicle and belongings.
FACTS
According to the national average, a car is stolen every 28.8 seconds in the United States. Based on the average frequency of vehicle theft nationwide, your vehicle has a 1 in 210 chance of being stolen.
Washington State has the 7th highest vehicle theft rate in the nation as of 2007.
United States Vehicle Theft - Rank by state - 2007
Rank
State
Vehicles Stolen
1
California
219,392
2
Texas
93,899
3
Florida
73,656
4
Arizona
48,389
5
Georgia
42,594
6
Michigan
42,151
7
Washington
37,622
8
Illinois
33,887
9
Ohio
33,779
10
Maryland
28,393
Source: National Insurance Crime Bureau.
In Washington State a vehicle is stolen every 13 minutes, which equates to a daily total of 106 vehicles. Living in Washington increases your chances of vehicle theft to 1 in 179.
United States Vehicle Theft - Rank by metropolitan areas - 2007
Rank
City
1
Modesto, CA
2
Las Vegas/Paradise, NV
3
San Diego/Carlsbad/San Marcos, CA
4
Stockton, CA
5
San Francisco/Oakland/Fremont, CA
6
Laredo, TX
7
Albuquerque, NM
8
Phoenix/Mesa/Scottsdale, AZ
9
Yakima, WA
10
Tucson, AZ
Ranked by the rate of vehicle thefts reported per 100,000 people based on the 2007 U.S. Census Population Estimates.
Source: National Insurance Crime Bureau
Older cars are common picks by car thieves due to the fact that they have less security measures compared to newer and more sophisticated models. Vehicles that have been made over a period of many years are also targets because of their popularity and saturation in the auto market. Most parts for cars such as these are compatible with both older and newer generations of the car model, creating a greater demand.
Washington State Vehicle Theft - Rank by vehicle type - 2007
