Port St. Lucie-Martin County area named one of safest places in the U.S. for drivers

Gianna Montesano, Treasure Coast Newspapers
·2 min read

The Port St. Lucie Metropolitan Service Area, which includes Martin County, was named one of the safest cities for drivers.

Data from 2019 FBI crime reports show 81 vehicles stolen and 40.6 thefts for every 100,000 people in the Port St. Lucie MSA. Comparatively, Oakland, California, reported 1,161.4 thefts per 100,000 people, the highest in the country.

MarketWatch, a capital market company, evaluated FBI crime data to create the list, explaining it focused on cities with populations greater than 100,000.

What gets stolen from vehicles the most?

According to Direct Auto Insurance, the parts and items most commonly burglarized are:

  • Tires and wheels

  • Tailgates

  • Batteries

  • Catalytic converters

  • Airbags

  • Third-row seats

  • Vehicle registrations

  • Garage door openers

  • Other items of value, such as cellphones, wallets, keys and purses.

What states have the most car thefts?

California had the most car thefts in 2021-2022, according to the Insurance Information Institute. Here are the top 10 states with the most car thefts.

  • No. 1: California

  • No. 2: Texas

  • No. 3: Washington

  • No. 4: Florida

  • No. 5: Colorado

  • No. 6: Illinois

  • No. 7: Ohio

  • No. 8: Missouri

  • No. 9: New York

  • No. 10: Georgia

What to do if your car is stolen in Florida?

If your vehicle is stolen, contact law enforcement to file a report and contact your insurance company within 24 hours, according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

To prevent automobile theft, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles recommends making sure your vehicle is locked and the keys are removed; the vehicle is parked in secure, well-lit areas; installing alarms; or subscribing to vehicle tracking services.

What cars are stolen the most?

According to a recent report by the National Insurance Crime Bureau, full-sized pickup trucks accounted for 25% of vehicle thefts in 2022. These were the top 10 most-stolen vehicles stolen last year:

  • No. 1: 2004 Chevrolet pickup

  • No. 2: 2006 Ford pickup

  • No. 3: 2000 Honda Civic

  • No. 4: 1997 Honda Accord

  • No. 5: 2013 Hyundai Sonata

  • No. 6: 2017 Hyundai Elantra

  • No. 7: 2015 Kia Optima

  • No. 8: 2021 Toyota Camry

  • No. 9: 2005 GMC pickup

  • No. 10: 2001 Honda CR-V

Gianna Montesano is TCPalm's trending reporter. You can contact her at gianna.montesano@tcpalm.com, 772-409-1429, or follow her on Twitter @gonthescene.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Low number of auto thefts reported in Port St. Lucie MSA