(FOX 5/KUSI) — With July being National Vehicle Theft Prevention Month, law enforcement shared on Tuesday that California marked its second consecutive year of declining vehicle thefts. 

California Highway Patrol announced statewide vehicle thefts dropped nearly 25% last year from 2024. According to the CHP fact sheet, 176,230 vehicles were stolen in California during 2024 and more than 133,000 were stolen in 2025. Additionally, CHP said they are continuing to work with local law enforcement to combat these thefts.

“The CHP remains committed to holding offenders accountable, recovering stolen vehicles and working with our law enforcement partners to make our communities safer,” CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee said in a news release. 

In 2024, California hit its first year-to-year vehicle theft decline since 2019. CHP said this was when Governor Gavin Newsom first deployed CHP officers to partner with law enforcement to target criminal operations. 

Coordinated efforts in California cities such as Bakersfield, San Bernardino and Oakland helped address vehicle theft, according to CHP. In August 2025, Newsom approved additional CHP crime suppression, expanding its efforts. Vehicle theft decline in 2025 from 2024 includes:

Alameda —  36.1% down with 12,277 vehicle thefts 

San Diego — 25.7% down with 8,023 vehicle thefts

San Bernardino — 23.3% down with 7,759 vehicle thefts

Sacramento — 23% down with 5,061 vehicle thefts

Kern — 31.4% down with 4,258 vehicle thefts

Despite this progress, a vehicle was stolen around every four minutes in California last year, according to CHP. Law enforcement encourages motorists to take precautions such as parking in well-lit areas, keeping valuables out of view, locking vehicles and reporting suspicious activity.

“Vehicle theft is not a victimless crime,” Duryee said. “It fuels organized criminal activity and creates hardship for families across California.”

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