NICB Releases Annual Holiday Theft Report for 2016

17 Jan 2018

The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) recently released its annual report of holiday automobile thefts that occurred in 2016. The report included 11 major holidays:

  • New Year’s Day
  • Valentine’s Day
  • President’s Day
  • Memorial Day
  • Independence Day
  • Labor Day
  • Halloween
  • Thanksgiving
  • Christmas Eve
  • Christmas Day
  • New Year’s Eve

That’s not all the report reveals. It also reports on the daily rates of theft for each month, and rates the highest and lowest occurrences of vehicle thefts for 2016.

One interesting note is that this report reveals the five states with the biggest vehicle theft problem. They are:

  • California
  • Texas
  • Florida
  • Washington
  • Georgia

One surprising bit of information is that while there is typically an uptick around the holidays, there are three holidays where vehicle theft trends down: Valentine’s Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day. Looks like quality time with significant others and time spent with family does help to deter crime.

In fact, Christmas Day had the fewest incidents of car theft of any day in 2016, reporting only 1,664 thefts that day compared to a daily average for the year of 2,196. It appears that thieves aren’t overly fond of frigid temperatures as the remaining two lowest days of the year with thefts reports were March 27, 2016 when thieves absconded with 1,746 vehicles and February 28, 2016 when 1,759 cars were stolen.

Halloween was the biggest holiday for car theft, which makes sense as many people choose this night to go joyriding as pranks. It was not, however, the biggest day of the year for car thefts. That prize goes to August 1, 2016 when 2,840 cars were reported stolen. The second and third highest vehicle theft days go to October 17, 2016 with 2,650 vehicles reported stolen and July 1, 2016 when 2,671 vehicles were reported stolen.

While it’s good to know which holidays and times of year vehicle thefts tend to be on the rise, it’s important to be diligent daily and defend your vehicles. If your vehicle is stolen, using GPS car tracking can help you locate it quickly.

  • Don’t leave your running car unattended – a common occurrence in winter when people warm vehicles before venturing outside.
  • Park in your garage when possible. Out of sight is out of mind.
  • Install GPS tracking in your vehicle to assist with a swift recovery if it is stolen.

Small changes in your routine, like these, can help you protect your investment in your vehicle.


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