Gun Thefts from Cars: The Largest Source of Stolen Guns

By: Jay Szkola, Megan J. O’Toole, Sarah Burd-Sharps

On average, at least one gun is stolen from a car every nine minutes in the United States. The rate of gun thefts from cars is triple what it was a decade ago. This includes both consistent increases nearly every year over the decade and a marked spike during the pandemic. A decade ago, roughly a quarter of gun thefts were from cars; in 2022, over half were. Cars parked at residences (in driveways, outside homes, etc.) are the most common source of stolen guns, demonstrating the importance of securely storing guns at all times and locations. Cities in states with the weakest gun safety laws see nearly 18 times the rate of gun thefts from cars as those in states with the strongest gun laws. Memphis, Tennessee—the city with the highest rate of guns stolen from cars— had over 3,000 gun thefts from vehicles in 2022. A range of cities in Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, and Rhode Island, reported zero gun thefts from cars. 

New York: Everytown for Gun Safety, 2024. 14p.