Rhode Island ranks among states with the fewest vehicle thefts, study finds

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Rhode Island has one of the nation’s lowest vehicle theft rates, according to a new study that analyzed five years of FBI crime data.

The study, conducted by researchers at Abogados NOW, examined motor vehicle theft data from the FBI Crime Data Explorer. Researchers compared both the total number of reported thefts and the theft rate per 100,000 residents, ranking states based on their population-adjusted theft rates.

Rhode Island among the lowest

Rhode Island ranked 10th for the fewest motor vehicle thefts per 100,000 residents, placing it among the states least affected by car theft.

New Hampshire had the lowest vehicle theft rate in the nation, followed by Maine and Idaho.

At the other end of the rankings, Colorado recorded the highest vehicle theft rate, followed by Nevada and Washington.

Why theft rates vary

According to the study, geography and population patterns play a major role in vehicle theft rates.

Researchers said states with large metropolitan areas, busy commuter corridors, tourist destinations, ports and high vehicle turnover often provide more opportunities for thieves.

They also noted that the types of vehicles targeted can vary by location. Older vehicles may be stolen because they are easier to break into, while newer models can be vulnerable to more advanced methods, including keyless entry attacks, cloned keys and vehicle identification fraud.