Vehicle thefts in California down by nearly 25 percent
According to the Department of Justice, the homicide rate has dropped by 18.6%; recorded homicide incidents fell from 1,666 to 1,374. The robbery rate has decreased by 19.9%. The property crime rate has declined by 14.3%. The motor vehicle theft rate has fallen by 25.8%, representing the largest percentage decrease among major crime categories. The violent crime rate has dropped by 10.2%. California's homicide rate now stands at 3.5 per 100,000 residents.
LOS ANGELES:- Governor Gavin Newsom announced that vehicle thefts fell statewide for the second consecutive year, declining by nearly 25% in 2025. The progress the state has made in reducing vehicle thefts by nearly a quarter builds on California’s double-digit reductions in property crime, violent crime, and robbery. Under Governor Newsom’s leadership, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) is working with local law enforcement agencies to combat organized vehicle theft and other crime through targeted enforcement and public awareness.
Governor Gavin Newsom said, “Californians should not have to worry about whether their car will still be there when they come back. Crime is down across California, and vehicle theft is declining because our law enforcement officers are dismantling theft rings, recovering stolen vehicles, and bringing offenders to justice. We will continue to support the men and women holding criminals accountable and driving crime down.”
“Vehicle theft is not a victimless crime. It fuels organized criminal activity and creates hardship for families across California,” said CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee. “The CHP remains committed to holding offenders accountable, recovering stolen vehicles and working with our law enforcement partners to make our communities safer.”
Last year, CHP recovered nearly 18,000 vehicles. In 2025, 84% of all stolen vehicles were recovered by law enforcement in California, totaling 111,661 recovered vehicles. Recovery rates were even higher for specific vehicle types, with 92.5% of stolen automobiles and 89.3% of stolen personal trucks and SUVs recovered. More than half of the recovered vehicles were returned to their owners in drivable condition.
Amid significant state investments in public safety and increased operations to help local law enforcement reduce criminal activity, the state recorded its first year-over-year decrease in vehicle thefts since 2019. Beginning in 2024, Governor Gavin Newsom deployed CHP officers to work alongside local law enforcement agencies through regional crime suppression operations, originally in Bakersfield, San Bernardino, and Oakland, then expanding regionally in 2025 to further increase public safety.
According to the Department of Justice, the homicide rate has dropped by 18.6%; recorded homicide incidents fell from 1,666 to 1,374. The robbery rate has decreased by 19.9%. The property crime rate has declined by 14.3%. The motor vehicle theft rate has fallen by 25.8%, representing the largest percentage decrease among major crime categories. The violent crime rate has dropped by 10.2%. California’s homicide rate now stands at 3.5 per 100,000 residents.
California’s homicide rate now stands at 3.5 per 100,000 residents, the lowest rate recorded since statewide reporting began nearly six decades ago.
Since Governor Gavin Newsom took office in 2019, crime rates are down across the board , with homicide down 20%, robbery down 31%, property crime down 24%, motor vehicle theft down 19%, and violent crime down 3%.
California has made historic investments to improve public safety by supporting local law enforcement, combating organized retail crime and auto theft, strengthening gun safety laws, expanding crime prevention programs, improving technology and investigative capacity, and investing in community-based violence intervention efforts.
These investments have helped deliver measurable progress across the state while supporting local partners working every day to keep Californians safe.
