Colorado Is One Of The Worst States For Car Theft, Study Says
By Rebekah Gonzalez
January 13, 2021
Over 730,000 vehicles were stolen annually across the U.S. between 2014 and 2018.
For anyone who has had a car stolen, it can be a stressful experience and feel like an invasion of personal space. Not to mention expensive.
In addition, living in an area with a high number of thefts can cause your insurance rates to rise even if you've never had your car stolen.
Colorado also has serious penalties for car theft. One of the lightest charges, joyriding, can result in up to three years of jail time if the vehicle has a value of $20,000 or over. Using theft to commit crimes in Colorado can lead up to 12 years in prison or a fine of up to $750,000.
Despite these risks, a new study by Car Insurance Comparison that spanned five years uncovered the 15 states with the highest rates of vehicle theft and Colorado is one of them.
According to the study the worst states of car theft are:
- Washington D.C.
- California
- New Mexico
- Nevada
- Washington
- Hawaii
- Alaska
- Utah
- Colorado
- Oregon
- Oklahoma
- Missouri
- South Carolina
- Arizona
- Georgia
Colorado averaged 359 cars stolen per 100,000 registered vehicles from 2014 to 2018.
The state has the third-largest increase in the number of vehicle thefts, according to the study.
Photo: Getty Images