Car thefts are back in the spotlight, an increasingly widespread scourge in our country and beyond. LoJack has provided an update on the situation for the first half of 2026, a period in which the company contributed to the recovery of 1,230 vehicles, with a total value exceeding 46 million euros, marking a 20% increase compared to the same period in 2025. In a context where Italy stands out negatively: data shows that in our country the risk of becoming a victim of car theft is the highest in Europe, ahead of France, the UK, Spain, and Germany.
Read more New Audi RS5, at the forefront of technology in the true sense of the word
Car thefts, a major Italian scourge
A closer look at the data. In the first part of the year, the increasing incidence of SUVs on the total recoveries was confirmed, with a 60% share. “A steady growth over time, driven by the boom in thefts of these vehicles to feed the black market for spare parts and for resale in other countries,” explains LoJack. The company then focuses on the most recovered brands in this particular market segment: Toyota leads, followed by Peugeot and then BMW. The most recovered cars in the first part of the current year belong instead to the brands Toyota, Fiat, and Mercedes-Benz.
Recoveries signed LoJack
Staying in Italy, among the regions with the highest number of recoveries, Campania remains at the top, followed by Puglia, Lazio, Lombardy, and Piedmont. An interesting fact: these five regions together accounted for 88% of total recoveries. However, the timing offers hope: meanwhile, 83% of the recoveries to which LoJack contributed occurred within the first 24 hours after the theft was reported, while only 3% between 24 and 48 hours and 14% after more than two days. Furthermore, in the first six months of 2026, the average time elapsed between the theft report and the actual recovery by the LoJack team was 10 hours.
Italy, the worst in Europe
As mentioned initially, Italy unfortunately leads the negative ranking of car thefts. And the trend has been steady for several years now. In the EU, according to the LoJack Dossier which uses as its primary source the sixth report “Aftermarket Car Telematics” by the independent research and consulting company Berg Insight, about 450,000 cars were stolen in 2020, a figure still down 50% compared to 2008. But not all countries experienced it the same way: in 2023 Italy recorded about 132,000 stolen vehicles, the highest figure in Europe, ahead of France (71,000), the UK (64,000), Spain (31,000), and Germany (30,000). Regardless of the country, hi-tech methods of car theft are increasingly common, allowing thieves to act in minutes without leaving signs of break-in.
Click here to add Formula Passion as a preferred source on Google Discover: you will find our content more easily!
Read more Sunny Madrid throughout the weekend and rising temperatures
