Car thefts in US jump by over 8 per cent, reveals FBI data
Car thefts are on the rise in the US, with Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) data revealing the latest trends in crime. In the United States last year, almost a million vehicles, valued at over $20 billion, were stolen.
The FBI reported an estimated 8.6 per cent increase in vehicle thefts and an 8.1 per cent rise in carjackings in 2022.
According to FBI data, law enforcement agencies that share their data handed down a total of 1,213,913 charges related to motor vehicle thefts in 2022, which represents 93.5 per cent of these agencies or a total of 15,724.
In contrast, the FBI reported 636,941 total charges related to motor vehicle theft in 2021.
Murder and non-negligent manslaughter across the country decreased by 6.1 per cent and rape by 5.4 per cent, while larceny and motor vehicle theft rose by 7.8% and 10.9 per cent, respectively, the agency said in its national crime report.
The uptick in property crime aligns with recent reports from major trade groups, who say organized retail crime has worsened 'exponentially' since before the pandemic, prompting stores to take new security measures.
Although violent crime is trending downward, the 21,156 murders reported in 2022 are also well above pre-pandemic levels, according to FBI data. The number of annual reported murders never topped 18,000 during the 2010s, but jumped to 21,570 in 2020.
Crime was a major issue in last year's mid-term elections, with Republicans accusing Democratic candidates of undue lenience, even though data showed similar crime trends in states and cities led by officials from both parties.
The report released on Monday included some new crime categories, such as carjackings, which increased from an estimated 23,500 in 2021 to about 25,400
