Gun thefts from cars in the US have tripled over the past decade, new report finds

Thao Nguyen, USA TODAY
Updated ·6 min read

The rate of gun thefts from vehicles in the United States has tripled since 2013, making cars the most common source of stolen guns across the nation, a new report released Thursday found.

A gun safety group analyzed FBI crime data from 337 cities across 44 states — covering a combined population of about 63 million people — between 2013 and 2022. The report, from Everytown for Gun Safety, revealed that, on average, at least one firearm is stolen from a car every nine minutes in the United States.

The rate of gun theft has tripled over almost a decade, increasing each year and spiking during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the report. The sharp increase in stolen firearms from cars coincides with a rise in gun ownership in the United States and recent legislation that has loosened restrictions on guns in some states.

One in five U.S. households purchased a gun from March 2020 to March 2022, according to NORC at the University of Chicago, a nonpartisan research institution. During that period, one in 20 adults bought a gun for the first time.

Last November, an NBC News national poll found that more than half of U.S. voters said they or someone in their household owned a firearm.

The Everytown report noted that the dangerous trend underscores the importance of storing firearms securely and safely. Thousands of missing weapons go unreported annually, according to the report, and stolen guns are often used in other crimes.

"Guns stolen from cars often go from legal hands to the illegal market, where they are too often used to carry out other crimes, including assaults and homicides. But these thefts are preventable, as is the heartbreak and long-lasting trauma of the violence they can cause," Sarah Burd-Sharps, senior director of research at Everytown for Gun Safety, said in a statement. "Gun owners must securely store their guns – whether in the car or in the home – to save lives."

States allow teachers to carry guns: Tennessee and Iowa weigh joining them

Surge in gun thefts from cars a 'conservative estimate'

The rate of stolen guns from vehicles rose from about 21 thefts per 100,000 people in 2013 to about 63 per 100,000 in 2022, according to the report.

While firearms can be stolen from homes, gun shops, or individuals, vehicles parked at residences were the largest source of stolen guns. Nearly 112,000 guns were reported stolen in 2022, and nearly 62,000 of those guns were stolen from cars, the report found.

"A decade ago, the majority of gun thefts were from burglaries of a home or other structure (38 percent), and roughly a quarter (26 percent) were from cars," the report states. "Since then, the nation has seen a stark increase to over half coming from cars. In fact, the past decade’s overall increase in gun thefts is driven primarily by the rise in gun thefts from cars."

But the report said the increase in gun thefts from cars is "likely a conservative estimate" as only about a third of states legally require individuals to report lost or stolen firearms to law enforcement. And federal law does not require gun owners to report lost or stolen guns to law enforcement, according to the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence.

Missing guns are often used in other crimes

Stolen guns have appeared in numerous crime cases, according to the Everytown report. In July 2021, a gun stolen from an unlocked car in Riverside, Florida, was used to kill a 27-year-old US Coast Guard member as she tried to stop a neighborhood car burglary.

Last month, a 14-year-old boy accidentally killed his 11-year-old brother in Florida with a gun that was reported stolen. The firearm was taken from an unlocked car a few days before the incident and the teenager later found the gun in an alley.

"Stolen guns that enter the illegal market are an appealing source of firearms for people who are legally prohibited from having guns," the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence said.

The center cited an analysis of over 23,000 stolen firearms recovered between 2010 and 2016, which found that a majority of the weapons recovered were linked to crimes. More than 1,500 included violent crimes, such as murder, kidnapping, and armed robbery.

Both Everytown and the Giffords Law Center have said lost and stolen firearm laws can help reduce illegal gun crime. Policies that require firearms to be securely stored and mandate reporting of lost and stolen guns can "reduce illegal gun movements by 46 percent," Everytown said in its report.

States with weak gun safety laws have higher rates of gun theft

Everytown's report found that the rate of gun thefts from vehicles is nearly 18 times higher in cities with weaker gun safety laws compared to states with the strongest gun laws. Earlier this year, the gun safety group ranked all 50 states based on the strength and impact of each state's gun safety policies.

According to the group's rankings, California had the strongest gun laws in the country, followed by New York, Illinois, Connecticut, and Hawaii. Meanwhile, Arkansas, Mississippi, Idaho, Montana, and Georgia had the weakest gun laws.

In many cities located in states with weak gun laws, the Everytown report said "high rates of gun ownership and laws that make it easier to carry guns in public create conditions under which gun thefts from cars may be more likely." Cities with the highest rate of gun thefts from cars in 2022 were Memphis, Tennessee; Atlanta, Georgia; St. Louis, Missouri; Richmond, Virginia; and San Antonio, Texas.

Memphis, Tennessee, had over 3,000 gun thefts from vehicles in 2022 while Atlanta, Georgia, had less than 2,500 guns stolen from cars, according to the report — which noted that both states have weak gun safety laws. In contrast, some cities in states with strong gun safety laws, such as Massachusetts, New York, and New Jersey, had zero guns reported stolen from cars in 2022.

How to securely store your weapons

Everytown has recommended gun owners to always lock their vehicles and store their firearms so that they are not visible to others. Gun safes are available for every make and model of vehicles, according to the group.

There are a variety of devices that make it easy to store guns securely and also enables fast access for gun owners, Everytown said. Storage devices include lock boxes, console or vehicle gun safes, and gun cases, among other devices.

"Secure gun storage can be a lifesaver," Everytown said in its guide to secure gun storage devices. "It can prevent theft and access by children, unauthorized users, and anyone who may pose a danger to themself or others."

The group also advised people to support public awareness campaigns that help prevent firearm theft from cars. In some areas, law enforcement and nonprofit organizations have established campaigns or programs that raise awareness about gun thefts.

Be SMART, a program of Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund, was launched in 2015 to promote responsible gun ownership and help "normalize conversations about gun safety."

According to the Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund, the program encourages adults to:

  • Secure all guns in their home and vehicles

  • Model responsible behavior around guns

  • Ask about the presence of unsecured guns in other homes

  • Recognize the role of guns in suicide

  • Tell your peers to be SMART

Contributing: N'dea Yancey-Bragg and Saman Shafiq, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Firearms stolen from cars in the US have tripled over the past decade

  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next

Latest Stories

  • Diddy is done: Sean Combs can't save his career, entertainment attorney says — but he can maybe save himself

    Sean "Diddy" Combs apologized for assaulting his former girlfriend Cassie Ventura. An entertainment attorney said it won't save his career.

  • Golfer's prompt release from jail angers some who recall city's police turmoil

    LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — World No. 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler’s arrest and prompt release from a Louisville jail Friday that let him play in a high-profile tournament after being booked on charges including felony assault has sparked questions on social media over whether he was given preferential treatment because of his fame. They recall what they consider malfeasance by the Louisville police department, which a national report last year found has used excessive force and invalid search warrants

  • Toothpaste tube helps narrow investigation into remains found near Sask. campsite

    MOOSE JAW, Sask. — Investigators in Saskatchewan have released photos of items found near a campsite along with human remains of a person who they believe died a decade ago. RCMP say they're hoping someone will recognize the items and can help figure out the person's identity. Police say in a news release they began an investigation April 28 into human remains located at a makeshift campsite in a deeply forested area in the Rural Municipality of Moose Jaw. The release didn't specify whether it w

  • Arizona man sentenced to natural life in prison for the 2017 death of his wife, who was buried alive

    An Arizona man has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the 2017 death of his wife, who was buried alive in a hand-dug grave near their home, authorities said. Seven years after the murder, David Pagniano decided to plead guilty before his trial was scheduled to start and allowed a judge to determine his sentence without a plea agreement. Pagniano, 62, also was sentenced on May 9 to a 16 ½-year prison term for kidnapping, forgery and fraud, according to the Yavapai County Attorney’s Office.

  • They’ve been stuck for 7 weeks on the ship that crashed into a Baltimore bridge. This is what life is like for the Dali crew

    It could be weeks or even months before crew members can leave, due to complications beyond their control. Here’s why they’re still confined – and how they’re coping

  • 17-year-old girl sex trafficked from Mexico to US is rescued after texting 911 for help

    A 17-year-old girl, a trafficking victim, was rescued by the Ventura County Sheriff's Office in California after texting 911, authorities said.

  • An Hours-Long Home Invasion, a Triple Murder, and a Father Who Survived: Inside the Petit Family Murders

    In the early morning hours of July 23, two men broke into the Petits' Cheshire, Conn., home, held them family hostage for hours and assaulted them

  • ‘We’ll See You at Your House:’ How Fear and Menace Are Transforming Politics

    One Friday last month, Jamie Raskin, a Democratic member of Congress from Maryland, spent a chunk of his day in court securing a protective order. It was not his first. Raskin, who played a leading role in Donald Trump’s second impeachment hearing, said he received about 50 menacing calls, emails and letters every month that are turned over to the Capitol Police. His latest court visit was prompted by a man who showed up at his house and screamed in his face about the COVID-19 vaccine, Trump’s i

  • Sentencing trial set to begin for Florida man who executed 5 women at a bank in 2019

    Zephen Xaver walked into a central Florida bank in 2019, fatally shot five women and then called police to tell them what he did. Xaver pleaded guilty last year to five counts of first-degree murder for the Jan. 23, 2019, massacre at the SunTrust Bank in Sebring, about 84 miles (135 kilometers) southeast of Tampa. Michael Cook said he hopes his wife's killer gets the death penalty and described being very frustrated by the years of delays.

  • "He Had Killed His Own Son, Niece, And Brother Later That Day" And 26 More Terrifying Stories About People Who Encountered Or Knew Killers

    "I look up and make eye contact and he had more blood splattered on his face, and a huge grin."

  • Closing arguments set in trial of University of Arizona grad student accused of killing a professor

    Closing arguments are scheduled for Monday in the trial of a former University of Arizona graduate student accused of killing a professor on campus two years ago. Murad Dervish, 48, faces seven felony charges including first degree murder in the death of Thomas Meixner, 52, who was shot nine times near his office and was pronounced dead at a Tucson hospital. Defense attorney Leo Masursky told jurors that the killing wasn’t premeditated and that Dervish is “guilty except insane to second-degree murder,” an insanity defense.

  • ‘How do you get hypothermia in a prison?’ Records show hospitalizations among Virginia inmates

    RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — The Virginia State Police investigator seemed puzzled about what the inmate was describing: “unbearable” conditions at a prison so cold that toilet water would freeze over and inmates were repeatedly treated for hypothermia. “How do you get hypothermia in a prison?” the investigator asked. “You shouldn’t.” The exchange, captured on video obtained by The Associated Press, took place during an investigation into the death of Charles Givens, a developmentally disabled inmate at

  • SIU investigating woman's death after arrest in Barrie

    Ontario's police watchdog is investigating after a 28-year-old woman died in hospital Saturday morning after she was arrested in Barrie. Barrie police arrested the woman on Thursday near 49 Colter Street for outstanding warrants, the province's Special Investigations Unit (SIU) said in a news release Saturday. She was taken to the station and held in a cell.On Friday, Ontario police transported the woman from the Barrie police station to Central North Correctional Centre, the SIU said. The woman

  • Andrei Donet found guilty of 2nd-degree murder of Jannai Dopwell-Bailey

    A jury found Andrei Donet guilty of the second-degree murder of 16-year-old Jannai Dopwell-Bailey. Donet was 18 when he was arrested in connection with the case in 2021. The second-degree murder conviction comes with an automatic life sentence in prison with no possibility of parole before 10 years.Dopwell-Bailey was fatally stabbed outside a high school in Montreal's Côte-des-Neiges district in 2021. Crown prosecutor Katerine Brabant said Donet's distinctive tattoos seen in a video he published

  • Diddy admits beating ex-girlfriend Cassie, says he's sorry, calls his actions 'inexcusable'

    LOS ANGELES (AP) — Sean “Diddy” Combs admitted that he beat his ex-girlfriend Cassie in a hotel hallway in 2016 after CNN released video of the attack, saying in a video apology he was “truly sorry” and his actions were “inexcusable.” “I take full responsibility for my actions in that video. I was disgusted then when I did it. I’m disgusted now,” the music mogul said in a video statement posted Sunday to Instagram and Facebook. The security video aired Friday shows Combs, wearing only a white to

  • Horrific car crash leaves a high school senior dead and another injured

    Dashboard camera video caught alleged drunk driver suspect Taeyoung Kim slamming into 17-year-old Marko Niketic's car, just days before the senior's prom and graduation.

  • Man dead after being found shot inside car in Brampton, police say

    A man has died after he was found shot in a residential area in Brampton Saturday morning, police say.Peel Regional Police said they were called to the scene of a shooting at Mississauga Road and Sandalwood Parkway shortly before 7:30 a.m.When officers arrived they found the victim inside a car parked in a driveway at one of the residences at Ivor Crescent, Const. Richard Chin said.The man was taken to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries but later died, Chin said.Peel police's homici

  • LAPD officer injured when she was ejected from patrol car after it was stolen

    A LAPD officer sustained non-life threatening injuries early Sunday morning after a man stole her patrol vehicle while she was inside it.

  • Ontario's police watchdog investigating death of 28-year-old woman arrested in Barrie

    BARRIE, Ont. — Ontario's police watchdog is investigating the death of a woman who passed out while officers were taking her to jail. The Special Investigations Unit says officers with the Barrie Police Service arrested the woman on Thursday night because she was wanted on outstanding warrants. The agency says the officers took the woman to a police station, where she was kept in a cell. The following day, the SIU says special constables with the Ontario Provincial Police were taking the woman f

  • Officials seize around $500,000 worth of elvers from Toronto's Pearson airport

    TORONTO — A major seizure of baby eels at Toronto's Pearson International Airport that federal officials say were destined for shipment overseas are estimated to be worth between $400,000 and $500,000. The seizure of 109 kilograms of elvers was carried out on Wednesday by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and the Canada Border Services Agency. "Our message is crystal clear: do not travel to Nova Scotia to illegally fish or export elvers this year, enforcement officers will be waiting for yo