(Bloomberg) — Motorcycle theft increased in 2015 for the first time in 10 years, as criminals in warm-weather states looked for vehicles that are easier to sneak away than cars.
There were 45,555 motorcycles reported stolen in 2015 in the U.S., up 6.3% from the previous year, the National Insurance Crime Bureau said in a report Thursday. California remained the leader in bike thefts, with the crimes climbing 14% to more than 7,000.
Vehicle theft had been declining for years in the U.S., partly because of improved deterrence devices for automobiles. Still, car theft may also be on the rise, according to preliminary data, said Frank Scafidi, spokesman for the NICB. And criminals can find it simpler to disappear with two-wheeled vehicles.
Recommended For You
Want to continue reading?
Become a Free PropertyCasualty360 Digital Reader
Your access to unlimited PropertyCasualty360 content isn’t changing.
Once you are an ALM digital member, you’ll receive:
- Breaking insurance news and analysis, on-site and via our newsletters and custom alerts
- Weekly Insurance Speak podcast featuring exclusive interviews with industry leaders
- Educational webcasts, white papers, and ebooks from industry thought leaders
- Critical converage of the employee benefits and financial advisory markets on our other ALM sites, BenefitsPRO and ThinkAdvisor
Already have an account? Sign In Now
© 2025 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.
