Car thefts can not only affect victims but also vehicle-related rates for a state's residents.
According to Car Insurance Comparison, if you live in an area with a high number of thefts, it can cause your insurance rates to rise -- even if your car has never been stolen. They also conducted a study and found that 737,000 vehicles were stolen annually nationwide between 2014 and 2018.
In their research, they narrowed down 15 states with the worst rates of car theft. Oregon was named No. 10. "During that time period, its number of vehicles stolen grew 73 percent, 64 percent more than the nationwide average," according to the company. They also pointed out the high number of theft in Portland, specifically. A state lawmaker claimed lower-income families were targeted the most because they had older cars, which are easier to steal than newer models.
When it comes to Oregon's neighbors, Washington and California were in the Top 10, as well. The Golden State, in fact, had the most vehicles stolen from 2014 to 2018 at 150 million. Washington was ranked at No. 5.
Researchers also found "there were 3,683,769 car thefts across American between 2014 and 2018, which might be surprising to know." The worst year they analyzed was 2017 with 773,000 vehicles stolen.
To find out where other states ranked in this study, click here.
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