Ah, Italy. Ancient ruins, warm seas, magnificent food… and stolen cars. Unfortunately, this country has a serious problem in that department. Want to learn about the statistics for car thefts in Italy 2023? Care to know the real risk? Read our article.
Stolen car statistics in Europe
Italy doesn’t look good in overall car theft stats from the Old Continent. According to the official documents, there are approximately 3000 cars stolen in Italy every week. That number refers to private owners as well as corporations. This makes Italia a leader in Europe. The second country on the list is Czechia, but we must emphasize that this East European country is much smaller and has fewer people living in it. And what about France? Well, the French have to suffer 5% less car thefts per 100 000 citizens. That’s not a big difference when compared to Italy. The United Kingdom, however, has 80% less cars stolen. Surprising, isn’t it?
We still don’t know if car thefts in Italy 2023 are going to break another record. Nevertheless, numbers provided by the police remain disturbing. The last year has rendered a growth by 19% in comparison to the previous annual period. If this tendency remains, the 2023 theft rates might become more than just a statistical nuisance. Tourism in general might suffer. Restaurants without secured parking space can lose customers as well, not mentioning citizens who won’t be able to afford insurance anymore. Things are not looking good. Car theft statistics show this more clearly than ever.
What vehicles get stolen most often?
The most stolen car types in Italy are… the SUVs. They are a worthy price for thieves, and this particular vehicle type has become very popular in recent years. 4×4 cars are slowly replacing ordinary family saloons. Hence, the number of stolen SUVs grows as well. Nissan Qashqai was the leader in 2022. If you plan to visit Italy in one of those, be careful.
Apart from that, medium-sized cars still remain close to a thief’s heart, so to speak. A typical Fiat Panda model seems to be an easy target. But the Ford Fiesta, Volkswagen Golf or Toyota Yaris is no different, apparently. Among stolen cars in Italy 2023, we can also find quite a lot of Fiat 500s. These little vehicles are extremely popular, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that thieves target them for spears or as a prime commodity on second hand markets abroad.
Regions with the highest car theft rate in Italy
The problem of car thefts in Italy 2023 touches the whole country. Campania, however, Lazio and the Puglia region are most affected. The first one noted a 7% increase of car thefts. Lazio has only 1% more cars stolen in comparison to the previous year, but this is still more than 18 000 vehicles. That fits the region in the second place in Italy. In Puglia car thieves steal “only” about 14 500 cars, which is the same as data from earlier records.
On the other hand, we have Valle d’Aosta, where 31 cars have been reported stolen in 2022. This is less by 6%, according to annual statistics. But the region of Basilicata can boast with its 16% downgrade, which should be considered a success. This means that cars stolen in Italy 2023 might not reach as big a number as many people think. There’s hope that authorities can stop this shameful growth, because car thieves most certainly won’t.
Is Italy a high-risk country?
The above is a clear sign that one should worry about a vehicle left unattended in Italy. The statistics alone signalize the problem. So yes, Italy is a high-risk destination where a car can get stolen. Should you panic?
Well, there are many types of precautions against car thieves. A paid parking is one thing, for example. Although that means additional costs, it seems worth it. Of course, one can also enhance car insurance in order to be prepared for such an eventuality. It is also a reasonable idea to forget about a private car and rent it instead. If a rental gets stolen, the discomfort isn’t that painful. Paperwork is less demanding, too. Although Italy is indeed a country with the highest car theft rate in Europe, foreigners have some means to avoid this problem.
It is also worth mentioning, that single car parts get stolen, too. From a thief’s perspective, that’s sometimes easier than stealing the whole car. It is therefore convenient to know where to get spear parts in Italy. Just visit the Ovoko marketplace on the Internet. Everything you might need is right there.
Car thefts in Italy 2023 – summary
So, car thefts in Italy 2023 may raise some concerns among tourists and residents. Statistics are as clear as sunshine in Rome, unfortunately. The same can be said about car parts that can also become an interesting target for criminals. SUVs and popular hatchbacks make usual victims. Especially in Campania, which is the statistical leader in Italy. Will this year break a shameful record? Time will tell, but there are some hints suggesting that maybe, just maybe, things will be a bit different. Let’s keep our fingers crossed.
