Massive Carjacking Surge in These 5 Cities

Imagine you're stopped at a red light while driving. All of a sudden, your car door opens — and you're staring down the barrel of a gun: "Get out of the car!"

According to the Council on Criminal Justice, these scenarios have risen notably in U.S. cities over the past few years — shockingly more so than most other crimes.

Carjacking is more than simply stealing an unoccupied car. It involves taking control of a vehicle by force, with the driver still inside, often with a gun or other means of violence. Sometimes a carjacker might even rear-end your car or devise another clever ruse to get you to exit your vehicle.

One likely contributor to this unsettling carjacking trend is the lack of a key security feature on particular models of Kias and Hyundais. Since 2020, these vehicles have been particularly susceptible to carjackings and motor theft, with a 1,000% increase in reported theft claims from 2020 to 2023.

But even if you drive a different type of vehicle, you should still be on the lookout — especially in cities where carjacking crimes are accelerating.

Here are the top five cities in which carjackings have increased dramatically from 2019 through 2023, according to the Council's report.

5. San Francisco

You may have left your heart in San Francisco, but don't leave your car door unlocked once you're inside. The Golden Gate City takes our fifth spot with a 70% increase in carjackings over the past four years. That's 22.6 carjackings per 100,000 people, folks.

4. Los Angeles

In our fourth spot, the City of Angels is showing its devilish side, with a 77.9% increase in carjackings as of late. However, with four million people living in L.A. proper and 18 million in the Greater Los Angeles Metro area, that works out to 13 carjackings per 100,000 people – perhaps less than you thought, but still a frightening trend.

3. Chicago

The Windy City blows onto the list with a 115.7% increase in carjackings, or 48.3 per 100,000 people. It's also ranked fourth for carjackings overall — which means this particular crime was already prevalent in Chicago – and don't expect it to slow down anytime soon.

2. Norfolk, Virginia

The city in our second spot might surprise you. Norfolk only sees 9.4 carjackings per 100,000 people. However, that's still an astounding 187.5% increase for this smaller city of only 235,000 residents – turns out carjacking isn't just a big city problem.

1. Washington, D.C.

And in the top spot, our nation's capital comes in with a whopping 565% increase in carjackings since 2019! Washington tops out at 142.8 carjackings per 100,000 people – the highest rate in the country. No other city is even close.

Decrease Your Odds of Becoming a Carjacking Victim

With carjacking on the rise across the nation, here are a few well-known, practical tips to keep yourself from becoming part of this statistic:

• Have your keys in hand when walking to your car and be aware of your surroundings.
• Park in a well-lit area.
• Always lock your car as soon as you get inside.
• Don't leave valuables in plain sight.
• Drive with a buddy, if possible, especially at night.
• Drive in the center lane, when possible, to avoid the likelihood of being carjacked at a stoplight or stop sign.
• When stopped at a light or stop sign, allow yourself room to move around other cars, in case you need to make a quick exit.
• Be extra aware of your surroundings at common carjacking locations, such as ATMs, parking lots and garages, gas stations, and highway entrance and exit ramps.
• Turn off the ignition fully before opening the car door to exit – don't leave the car running.

Stay safe out there!

References: Crime Trends in U.S. Cities: Year-End 2023 Update | Hyundai and Kia thefts soar more than 1,000% since 2020 | Here are carjacking prevention tips as attacks more than double in DC