SEATTLE — Washington State recorded the highest rate of vehicle break-ins in the country for the month of April, based on an analysis of FBI crime data.
Between 2021 and 2023, the state averaged 47.10 thefts per 100,000 people each April — more than double the national average of 20.22. That equates to an average of 3,748 vehicle break-ins per April over the three-year span.
Washington narrowly edged out Colorado (44.72 per 100,000) and Oregon (44.20), pointing to a regional pattern in vehicle-related thefts across the western United States.
New York reported the lowest rate of break-ins, with just 4.62 per 100,000 residents, nearly 90% lower than Washington. Alaska, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Illinois also ranked among the states with the fewest April incidents.
Recommendations to reduce risk include parking in visible, well-lit areas, avoiding storing valuables in cars, and using deterrents like steering wheel locks, window tinting, and dash cameras.
The data was compiled by tinting-laws.com, which analyzed statistics from the FBI’s Crime Data Explorer for April 2021 through 2023. Averages were calculated and adjusted by population to determine the rate of break-ins per 100,000 residents.