Washington Is One Of The Worst States For Car Theft, Study Says

Car thefts can not only affect victims but also vehicle-related rates for a state's residents.

According to Car Insurance Comparison, if you live in an area with a high number of thefts, it can cause your insurance rates to rise -- even if your car has never been stolen. They also conducted a study and found that 737,000 vehicles were stolen annually nationwide between 2014 and 2018.

In their research, they narrowed down 15 states with the worst rates of car theft. Washington was named No. 5. Despite its high ranking, the Evergreen State was one of three in the study that saw theft decrease. "Washington’s vehicle robberies decreased by 10 percent from 2014 to 2018, meaning that it was 19 percent better than the nationwide average," the company claims.

According to state lawmakers, stolen vehicles where often linked to other crimes, like robbery or assault. Politicians suggest "that a key to combating car theft is better communication between law enforcement agencies, increased public awareness, and appropriate punishment and treatment for first-time offenders," Chris Tepedino wrote.

Researchers also found "there were 3,683,769 car thefts across American between 2014 and 2018, which might be surprising to know." The worst year they analyzed was 2017 with 773,000 vehicles stolen.

To find out where other states ranked in this study, click here.

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