24-03-2025
Auto thefts sharply decreasing throughout Hampton Roads
PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) — Auto thefts went down by about 25% between 2023 and 2024 throughout Hampton Roads, coinciding with an overall crime drop since the pandemic, changes from car manufacturers and a long-time anti-theft program.
'It's wonderful, yes, that's exactly what we want to see,' said Virginia State Police 1st Sgt. Peter Lazear.
He credits their partnerships with local and federal agencies. Auto thefts became a bigger issue in recent years with the rise of a social media trend involving people exploiting a manufacturing flaw that made it easy to steal Kia and Hyundai vehicles with a USB cable.
'It became a trend to simply steal the car, and in most cases, it was being used for a joy ride or for pleasure,' Lazear said. 'It was not really to be sold or sent to a chop shop or to be distributed someplace else.'
When this trend started during the pandemic, Lazear said Virginia saw a sharp rise in auto thefts — going up by between 2,000 and 3,000 per year. Through fixes from the car companies and things like the Help Eliminate Auto Theft program, those numbers went down.
Lazear said there are three easy steps to help keep your vehicle from being stolen. The first is use common sense: lock your car and take the keys with you.
'Always park in a well lit area, always take your keys with you, always be aware of your surroundings,' he said. 'Remove any of your valuables, firearms, cash that you leave in the vehicle. Just don't be an easy target, just be aware.'
The second is deterrents, like alarms and VIN etching. The third is tech, like a GPS or other device to track the vehicle's location.
The decreases in vehicles stolen by city from 2023 to 2024 are as follows:
In Chesapeake, there was a 38.35% decrease (485 to 299 stolen)
In Hampton, there was a 23.98% decrease (467 to 355 stolen)
In Newport News, there was a 12.02% decrease (524 to 461 stolen)
In Norfolk, there was a 37.91% decrease (1,239 to 461 stolen)
In Portsmouth, there was a 22.47% decrease (632 to 490 stolen)
In Virginia Beach, there was a 16.39% decrease (861 to 720 stolen)
Suffolk stayed level at 154 vehicles stolen in both years.
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