People are still stealing cars but, in Michigan, last year saw a marked decrease in reported thefts, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau. The NICB, a nonprofit that focuses on insurance fraud and other crime, reported this month that car thefts dropped 22% in Michigan last year.
What are the most commonly stolen vehicles in Michigan?
The Jeep Grand Cherokee defended its title as the most stolen vehicle in Michigan with 1,217 thefts reported in 2025. Rounding out the top three were other Stellantis vehicles: the Dodge Durango with 852 thefts and the Ram 1500 at 402. Other commonly stolen cars in Michigan included the Dodge Charger, Chrysler 300 and Kia Soul, along with the Chevrolet Malibu, Equinox and Silverado.
How do thieves steal cars?
Criminals have become very clever these days and they are always creating new ways to steal. They can steal the signal from your key fob and use it to unlock the car so they can start the engine and drive away. Other high-tech methods car thieves use involve hacking the Electronic Control Units (ECU), using relay transmitters, duplicating keys, jamming the GPS and various other illegal techniques. The old-fashioned way of just stealing the keys and hopping in the car to drive away is still around despite the rise of more advanced methods.
How can I protect my car from being stolen?
There are a multitude of aftermarket security systems and features you can buy to keep your vehicle secure. Parking in a garage is one of the best ways to protect your car, but not everyone has that luxury. Adding a steering wheel lock will secure the steering wheel and prevent it from being turned. A GPS tracking device or Apple Air Tag can give live updates on a vehicle’s location. There are dashcams that can record when a break-in is happening and upload the video to the internet so you can share it with the police and your insurance company.
What to do if my car is stolen?
Call police immediately. Make sure you tell them your make, model, model year and license plate number of your vehicle. Give them your VIN too if you have it. Next, call your insurance company to report the vehicle as stolen. Call your local Department of Motor Vehicles, so they will update your vehicle in their records as stolen and will be notified if the registration or title is being used for fraudulent activity. If you financed your car through a bank, give them a call as well so they can monitor your accounts for potential suspicious activity from the thief.
(This story has been updated to fix a headline.)
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Jeep Grand Cherokee was most stolen vehicle in Michigan in 2025
Reporting by Keenan Thompson, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
