The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) reported today that after three consecutive years as the area with the worst per capita vehicle theft rate in the nation, Modesto, CA has fallen into the number five position-a dramatic
improvement. Taking over the "Number One Hot Spot" is Las Vegas, NV.
As in 2005, the western United States still ranks as the area of the country with the highest auto theft rates. All of the nation's top ten areas are in the west with five of them in California. For 2006, the ten metropolitan statistical areas with the highest vehicle theft rates are:
1. Las Vegas/Paradise, NV
2. Stockton, CA
3. Visalia/Porterville, CA
4. Phoenix/Mesa/Scottsdale, AZ
5. Modesto, CA
6. Seattle/Tacoma/Bellevue, WA
7. Sacramento/Arden-Arcade/Roseville, CA
8. Fresno, CA
9. Yakima, WA
10. Tucson, AZ