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Car Thefts with Keys Left Inside on the Rise

by Amanda Prischak on June 29, 2015

It seems like a no-brainer: Take your keys with you when you get out of your car.

Yet a report from the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) reports that there were 126,603 car thefts with keys left inside between 2012 and 2014.

And while vehicles thefts overall are decreasing, car thefts with keys left inside are increasing.

The research revealed interesting information about where and when car thefts with keys left inside were most common:

  • The top five states for car thefts with keys left inside during this reporting period were California (19,597), Texas (8,796), Florida (7,868), Michigan (7,726) and Ohio (7,452).
  • The top five core-based statistical areas were Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, Nevada (6,185), Detroit/Warren/Dearborn, Michigan (4,882), Atlanta/Sandy Springs/Roswell, Georgia (3,234), Philadelphia/Camden, New Jersey/Wilmington, Delaware/Maryland (3,141) and New York/Newark/Jersey City (2,917).
  • Saturday was the most common day for car thefts with keys left inside (19,147) followed by Friday (18,719) and Monday (18,647).

Car thefts with keys left inside are especially unfortunate because they don’t need to happen. With so many advanced anti-theft technologies for autos out there, leaving your keys in the car is probably the only open invitation out there for car thieves.

Whether you’re making a quick dash inside your house or looking to warm up your car on a chilly morning, the lesson is clear: Never leave your keys inside your car.

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