Jerusalem and Mazda at the top of the list: Car theft data in 2019

About a decade ago, the number of vehicles stolen has reached more than 196,000, but the trend has been declining. According to police data, in the past year the number has dropped by half, and the decline continues. What are the cities where the most vehicles are stolen in Israel, and which carmakers are looking for the thieves? all stats

Jerusalem and Mazda at the top of the list: Car theft data in 2019

(In the video: The policeman injured in the car theft incident at Lod Junction)

Since the 1990s, the phenomenon of vehicle thefts in Israel has been increasing. About a decade ago, about 196,000 cars were stolen - more than six times the figure in 2000. Since then, the police began to fight the phenomenon, leading to a significant reduction in thefts and an increase in arrests. Since 2000, the rate of car theft has been cut by more than two-thirds, and by 2010 the amount of vehicle theft has fallen by half. All this, with the number of cars on the road rising every year.

Just two weeks ago, a car thief documented a police officer at the Lod Center junction was released during a police checkpoint to locate the car. The police officer who was at the scene sustained a minor injury to her leg after a car thief crashed into the back of another car - which had run over her. The thief, 38, a resident of Lod, was arrested and arrested. "He drove quickly and cut into the lane," police officer Shiri Barnea said. "It was scary. But when I saw him being arrested, it was worth it."

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The dramatic decline the police are facing comes after a long battle with the phenomenon of vehicle theft, which translates into numbers. In 2019, police arrested 1,460 suspects for car theft. Some stole more than one vehicle, and belonged to a car thief gang. This is an 11.2% increase in arrests compared to 2018, when 1,313 car thieves were arrested. In the last ten years, more than 50,000 stolen vehicles have been located and restored to their owners.

According to police data, in 1995, 32,769 vehicles were stolen in Israel, and in 2010 the number jumped to 196,200. Since 2019, there has been a downward trend in the number of stolen vehicles, with about 160,000 in 2015, 150,000 in 2016, about 103,000 in 2018 - and by 2019 the number reached only 98,000 stolen cars.

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"Sun Young" is the most stolen motorcycle

The three car makers stolen at the highest rate are Toyota, Hyundai and Mazda, according to police data for 2019. As for motorcycles, "Sun Young" was the one stolen at the highest rate. In total, 6,129 private vehicles and 1,946 motorcycles were stolen last year. In addition, 466 trucks, 64 scooters and 257 trailers were also stolen. The number of tractors stolen was 90 in 2019, and 63 SUVs, 64 work vehicles, 43 taxis, 40 buses, 3 ambulances and 704 vehicles of the same type were also stolen.

Police also show that of the ten cities with the most vehicles stolen in Israel, Jerusalem is at the top of the list. However, there was a significant 18% decline in the city in 2018 when 1,409 vehicles were stolen, compared with 1,147 in 2019. The second ranking is Tel Aviv with 954, followed by Beer Sheva with 782, and Petah Tikva with 483 stolen vehicles. The following cities are Netanya, Rishon Lezion, Kfar Saba and Holon with more than 300 stolen vehicles in one, Haifa with 269 and Ramat Gan with 233 stolen vehicles.

Car thief tried to escape and wounded police officer, this month (Photo: Police spokeswoman)

Police officer injured during a police checkpoint for the seizure of a car thief at Lod Junction, January 12, 2020 (Photo: Israel Police spokeswoman)

In recent years, the police have intensified their activities against the slaughter of vehicles in Judea and Samaria. The "Challenge" unit in Blade 433, which works against car thieves' gangs, has helped arrest some of these gang leaders.

"Understanding that car theft is hurting the citizen and significantly damaging his pocket and routine, tremendous efforts are being made to reduce car thefts, stop gangs and delinquents, and recover vehicles stolen from their owners quickly and efficiently," said a police official with Walla! NEWS. "Not because the number of car thefts in Israel in the past year has been the lowest in decades. This is despite the fact that during this period the number of vehicles moving on the road has doubled."