Motor vehicle theft is the criminal act of stealing or attempting to steal a motor vehicle. Nationwide in the United States in 2020, there were 810,400 vehicles reported stolen, up from 724,872 in 2019. Property losses due to motor vehicle theft in 2020 were estimated at $7.4 billion. There were 505,100 car thefts in the EU in 2019, a 43% decrease from 2008.
A car with one of its windows broken
Shattered car window glass where a parked car was stolen
A Ford Explorer with a smashed window
Abandoned vehicle left in deep snow after a joyride in Edmonton, Alberta
Theft is the act of taking another person's property or services without that person's permission or consent with the intent to deprive the rightful owner of it. The word theft is also used as a synonym or informal shorthand term for some crimes against property, such as larceny, robbery, embezzlement, extortion, blackmail, or receiving stolen property. In some jurisdictions, theft is considered to be synonymous with larceny, while in others, theft is defined more narrowly. A person who engages in theft is known as a thief.
The Cunning Thief by Paul-Charles Chocarne-Moreau, depicting a thief about to steal a baked good
The Robbers Stone, West Lavington, Wiltshire. This memorial warns against thieving by recording the fate of several who attempted highway robbery on the spot in 1839.
Two young waifs steal a fine pair of boots.
Bicycles can occasionally be stolen, even when locked up, by removing the wheel or cutting the lock that holds them.
