California’s crime epidemic exposed as state hosts worst cities for vehicle theft

If you needed another reminder that California is a land of extremes, buckle up.

A new national study found the Golden State is home to both the worst city in America for vehicle thefts and two of the safest places to park your car overnight. Depending on where you live, your biggest concern is either someone stealing your ride or forgetting where you parked it.

According to a new analysis by American Trucks, Oakland claimed the unenviable title of the No. 1 city in the nation for vehicle thefts, while Irvine and Thousand Oaks landed among the 10 safest large cities in the country.

The study examined FBI National Incident-Based Reporting System data alongside US Census population estimates for 281 cities with at least 100,000 residents, ranking them by reported motor vehicle thefts per 100,000 people.

Oakland wasn’t just at the top of the list, it practically lapped the competition.

The city recorded 6,431 cars stolen in 2025, translating to nearly 1,459 thefts per 100,000 residents. That’s almost 28 times higher than Irvine’s theft rate, creating one of the starkest contrasts anywhere in the country.

California also dominated another category, though not exactly one state leaders are likely to brag about.

Five California cities landed in the nation’s top 20 for vehicle theft rates, more than any other state. Along with Oakland, the list included Inglewood, Antioch, Richmond and Hayward.

The list didn’t stop there. Twelve California cities cracked the national top 50, including Long Beach, Downey, Lancaster, Vallejo, San Bernardino, San Jose and Los Angeles.

At the other end of the spectrum, however, California proved it isn’t all bad news for car owners.

Irvine ranked as the ninth safest city in America for vehicle thefts at No. 273 overall, while Thousand Oaks came in right behind it at No. 272. Carlsbad and Murrieta also placed among the state’s safest communities.

Nationwide, an estimated 659,880 vehicles were stolen in 2025, which is roughly one every 48 seconds. While that’s still enough to make anyone double-check they locked the doors, it’s a significant improvement from the 2023 peak of more than 1 million stolen vehicles, representing a 35% decline.

Still, California continues to shoulder an outsized share of the problem.

The state accounted for nearly 137,000 stolen vehicles in 2025, representing about 21% of all vehicle thefts reported nationwide.

The takeaway? In California, your ZIP code may matter almost as much as whether you remembered to lock your car doors. 

Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters