NICB Report Ranks Vehicle Theft Rates in Northeast

The National Insurance Crime Bureau released its report last week on a per capita review of vehicle thefts from the nation’s Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA).

The report, based on 2012 data, shows that California continues to be a hotbed for vehicle thefts. Eight of the top 10 MSAs with highest theft rates are in California — with the remaining two from the state of Washington.

Among Northeast states, the Trenton, N.J. area had the highest per capita vehicle theft rate — with 915 thefts, for a rate of 248.44 per 100,000 population in 2012. The Trenton, N.J. area was ranked 91st in the country in NICB’s per capita vehicle theft ranking of 380 MSAs.

In terms of sheer numbers, the New York-Newark-Jersey City region had the highest overall number of vehicle thefts among Northeast MSAs, at 26,311 — for a rate of 132.67 per 100,000 population, which puts it 220th nationally in the report’s per capita ranking.

The NICB report said the Northeast region saw a 7.9 percent reduction in the number of vehicle thefts in 2012 compared to 2011. Nationally, however, preliminary figures showed a 1.3 percent year-over-year increase in vehicle thefts in 2012.

Here are MSAs with highest per capita vehicle theft rates in each Northeast state, according to the NICB report. The full report can be found at the NICB website.

• Connecticut: New Haven-Milford, CT Metropolitan Statistical Area, with 1,918 thefts, for a rate of 222.30 per 100,000 population. Ranked 105th nationally in NICB’s per capita vehicle theft ranking.

• Delaware: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD Metropolitan Statistical Area, with 12,037 thefts, for a rate of 199.99 per 100,000 population. Ranked 125th nationally in NICB’s per capita vehicle theft ranking.

• Maine: Bangor Metropolitan Statistical Area, with 112 thefts, for a rate of 72.85 per 100,000 population. Ranked 331st nationally in NICB’s per capita vehicle theft ranking.

• Maryland: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD Metropolitan Statistical Area, with 6,736 thefts, for a rate of 244.67 per 100,000 population. Ranked 93rd nationally in NICB’s per capita vehicle theft ranking.

• Massachusetts: Providence-Warwick, RI-MA Metropolitan Statistical Area, with 3,389 thefts, for a rate of 211.63 per 100,000 population. Ranked 113th nationally in NICB’s per capita vehicle theft ranking.

• New Hampshire: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH Metropolitan Statistical Area, with 5,869 thefts, for a rate of 126.47 per 100,000 population. Ranked 232nd nationally.

• New Jersey: Trenton, NJ Metropolitan Statistical Area, with 915 thefts, for a rate of 248.44 per 100,000 population. Ranked 91st nationally.

• New York: Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area, with 1,692 thefts, for a rate of 149.18 per 100,000 population. Ranked 196th nationally.

• Pennsylvania: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD Metropolitan Statistical Area, with 12,037 thefts, for a rate of 199.99 per 100,000 population. Ranked 125th nationally.

• Rhode Island: Providence-Warwick, RI-MA Metropolitan Statistical Area, with 3,389 thefts, for a rate of 211.63 per 100,000 population. Ranked 113th nationally.

• Vermont: Burlington-South Burlington, VT Metropolitan Statistical Area, with 206 thefts, for a rate of 96.40 per 100,000 population. Ranked 286th nationally. (Only available MSA data for the state of Vermont)

• Virginia: Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area, with 11,599 thefts, for a rate of 197.92 per 100,000 population. Ranked 127th nationally.