Vehicle theft in texas

Texas motorists suffer disrupted lives, lost work and business, diminished feelings of safety, and sometimes physical violence from these crimes.

Did you know?

In 2021, 87,703 vehicles were reported stolen in the state of Texas, with a total loss valued at $2,365,602,243.*

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In 2021, losses from Burglary of Motor Vehicles were valued at over $251 million.

For the year 2021, the top five highest rates of auto theft in Texas occurred in^†:

- Dallas County (593.0 per 100,000)
- Harris County (504.6 per 100,000)
- Bexar County (492.8 per 100,000)
- Potter County (416.5 per 100,000)
- Lubbock County (395.1 per 100,000)

Top 5 locations where motor vehicle theft is most likely to occur:

- Residence/Home – 29,965
- Parking lot/Garage – 27,551
- Highway/Road/Street – 10,860
- Commercial/ Office Building – 3,109
- Hotel/Motel – 2,753

*Source: Texas Department of Public Safety’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) database.
† Source: Texas Department of Public Safety – Crime in Texas Report, Index Crimes. Counties with over 10,000 in population.

Prevention Tips

Hide your valuables from plain sight to avoid attracting thieves.

Lock your vehicle and take your keys.

Approximately 50% of all stolen vehicles were left unlocked.

Never hide a second set of keys in or on your vehicle.

Thieves can easily find extra keys.

Park in well-lit areas and attended parking lots.

More than half of all vehicle thefts occur at night, and thieves tend to target unattended lots.

Never leave your vehicle running, even if you will only be away for a minute.

Vehicles are commonly stolen at gas stations and ATMs. Many vehicles are also stolen on cold mornings when the owner leaves the vehicle running to warm up.

When you follow these tips, you Lock it Down!

Should your vehicle be stolen, call law enforcement and your insurer immediately. Reporting a vehicle as soon as possible after it is stolen increases the chance of recovery.