Good news: vehicle thefts down significantly and many stolen cars recovered

Car theft decreased

The National Vehicle Crime Information Center (LIV) today released figures that will make every car owner happy. The recovery rate of stolen cars has not been as high in the past 10 years as it was in 2023. Almost half of stolen cars were reunited with their rightful owners last year. There are more positive figures: the total number of vehicle thefts is down 11% from last year. There were 5,844 passenger vehicles stolen in 2023, 2% less than in 2022. Moped and moped thefts decreased by 20%. There is also bad news. Theft of light commercial vehicles increased 5% to 1,783 units and motorcycle theft increased 11%.

Toyota is popular with thieves

Car thieves still have Toyota high on their list with 1,166 stolen in 2023. The RAV4 (612 units) and the C-HR (284 units) top the list as the most sought-after loot. Statistics reveal that the probability of theft for a RAV4 is 1 in 63, compared with 1 in 113 for a C-HR. 44% of stolen Toyotas were tracked down and returned to their owners. Toyota is not the only brand that car thieves targeted last year. There were 797 Volkswagens stolen in 2023, a modest 1% increase from 2022. Mercedes-Benz remains as popular as ever among light-duty car thieves, with as many as 670 stolen. Interestingly, these vehicles are most often stolen in South Holland and Brabant.

File a report quickly

The positive momentum in the recovery rate of stolen passenger cars has continued for several years, rising from 41% in 2019 to 47% in 2023. A major contributor to this increase came from the Stolen Vehicle Reporting Center. This counter ensures that a stolen vehicle is flagged nationally and internationally within 30 minutes of being reported, significantly increasing the chances of recovery. Especially in the first 24 hours after the theft, the chances of success are highest. In short: report it as soon as possible if your car has suddenly disappeared.

In addition, the greatly increased connectivity of modern vehicles contributes to an increased retrieval rate. Many modern cars are connected to an app, which allows you to see where your car is on your phone. This makes it possible to track stolen vehicles faster and return them to their owners.