Pickup trucks have always been workhorses, but lately they have turned into some of the hottest targets in the criminal world. Even as overall vehicle theft shows signs of easing in parts of the country, police and insurers say thieves are zeroing in on trucks for their power, parts, and payload. For owners, that means the family hauler or jobsite rig is suddenly sitting in a much riskier spot than the numbers alone might suggest.
From older work trucks to luxury rigs loaded with tech, the pattern is the same: organized crews and opportunistic thieves are hunting pickups because they are easy to move, easy to strip, and easy to resell. The trend cuts across states and brands, and it is colliding with everything from social media “technique” videos to gaps in keyless entry systems, leaving drivers scrambling to catch up.
Pickup theft is rising even as overall numbers cool
On paper, the national story around car crime sounds almost hopeful. Industry data shows a broad nationwide decline in vehicle theft through the first half of 2025, with totals on track to fall for a second straight year. A separate release from the same organization reinforces that trend, noting that if current patterns hold, thefts will keep easing into the end of 2025, a rare bit of good news in a crime category that had been climbing. Those topline numbers, however, hide a more specific problem that police keep flagging on the ground.
Within that overall dip, certain vehicles are still getting hammered, and pickups are at the top of that list. A new report on stolen vehicles finds that pickup trucks are vehicles nationally, even as some sedans and crossovers see fewer losses. That split helps explain why truck owners feel like they are living in a different reality than the national averages suggest, and why local departments keep sounding the alarm specifically about full size rigs.
Most stolen lists show trucks climbing the charts
Zoom in on the rankings and the picture gets sharper. A breakdown of the most stolen cars in 2025 highlights how certain models dominate the charts, with The Hyundai Elantra topping the list in the first half of the year. Another analysis of the What cars were hit hardest underscores that compact imports still draw plenty of attention, but it also shows pickups muscling into the same territory that used to be dominated by small sedans.
Local snapshots tell the same story in more vivid detail. A social media post from the City of Thornton lists the 2025 top stolen vehicles there, with the Chevrolet Silverado from 2000 to 2007 right in the mix alongside the Hyundai Ela and other high risk models. Another national breakdown of the most frequently stolen vehicles notes that Three years have passed since social media videos first spotlighted a fast and easy method of stealing unattended Hyundai and Kia models, yet pickups now share the stage as repeat targets in multiple states.
Why thieves love trucks: value, parts, and payload
Ask investigators why trucks keep disappearing and they will usually start with simple economics. Full size pickups are expensive, hold their value, and are often packed with aftermarket upgrades that can be stripped and sold quickly. A report on Why GM Trucks by Thieves points to a sharp rise in thefts of popular GM models, driven in part by demand for their engines, transmissions, and body panels. Another version of that same analysis on Why GM Trucks by Thieves makes the same point, stressing that owners are often left dealing with the aftermath alone once a truck vanishes.
Beyond the truck itself, thieves are chasing what rides behind it. Cargo specialists have tracked a surge in criminals going after higher value loads, with one report bluntly titled Cargo Theft Losses 60% in 2025 as Criminals Target Higher Value Freight. That same analysis notes that Criminals Target Higher value Freight because the average loss per incident climbed sharply, and that pattern naturally pulls more attention toward pickups and trailers that can move goods without attracting as much scrutiny as a big rig.
Local police are sounding the alarm on specific brands
For some communities, the trend is not abstract at all, it is a nightly headache. In Texas, officers in League City have warned that if you drive a GMC or a pickup in the city of League City, thieves are targeting your trucks in a coordinated spree. The video shows a father whose work truck vanished from his driveway, a reminder that these are not just insurance statistics but lost livelihoods when a contractor or tradesperson suddenly has no way to reach jobs.
Elsewhere, police have zeroed in on specific vulnerabilities. One alert notes that 40 of these trucks have been stolen over the past two weeks due to an extremely vulnerable feature that lets thieves exploit keyless entry when the fob is inside your home. A second version of that same warning on 40 of these being taken credits reporter Allison Barfield with laying out how quickly thieves can exploit that gap. Put together, the message from departments is blunt: certain badges and model years are now rolling invitations if owners do not change their habits.
Ram screens, Ford F‑150s, and the new tech arms race
Modern trucks are packed with screens and software, and thieves have noticed. In Metro Detroit, social clips have documented how Car thieves are infotainment screens inside Ram pickup trucks, with hundreds of screens stolen across Met areas in metro Detroit. A matching Instagram reel shows Car thieves are those same Ram units, with Metro De neighborhoods reporting smashed windows and gutted dashboards in minutes. In the comments on a related post, one resident says they Had to testify in front of officials about the problem, and that authorities are working to crack down on that issue.
Truck makers are trying to stay a step ahead. Ford has rolled out more connected features through its FordPass app, which lets owners locate, lock, and sometimes even disable their vehicles remotely. At the same time, the company has leaned into direct cooperation with law enforcement, with one report noting that Ford turns to up tech and data sharing to help track stolen F‑150s. A related version of that story explains that Ford is focusing on the F‑150, and that some theft crews have targeted as many as 150 trucks in coordinated waves, often in pickup trucks themselves as chase vehicles.
Organized rings, dealership hits, and cargo crime
Behind many of these thefts is not a lone joyrider but a structured business model. Security consultants tracking dealership crime describe How Auto Dealership and list several Factors Driving the Surge Organized Crime and High value Targets Keyless Entry Vulnera points that make lots full of trucks irresistible. Another white paper on trucking security notes that prevalence of theft at truck stops, yards, and distribution centers highlights the need for better controls where pickups and trailers sit unattended for hours.
Local detectives see the same pattern when they follow the money. In Kern County, California, one victim recalls being told that Kern County is being targeted by an organized ring that comes in specifically to steal high end trucks to fill their orders. A separate analysis of freight crime under the banner Cargo Theft Losses 60% in 2025 as Criminals Target Higher Value Freight backs that up, noting that organized crews are increasingly treating trucks and trailers as rolling ATMs.
Social media “technique” videos and copycat crime
Technology is not just in the trucks, it is in the thieves’ playbook. Analysts looking at 2025 theft patterns point out that Key Points in the data include Viral TikTok clips that exposed an easy theft technique for certain Hyundai and Kia models, a trend that spilled over into other brands once criminals realized how soft some keyless systems were. A separate breakdown of the The reasons for vehicle theft notes that Although vehicle thefts had been climbing for years, social media platforms such as TikTok and YouTube supercharged the problem by turning niche hacking tricks into viral content.
Insurance researchers echo that concern. One national study urges drivers to Compare quotes and security features, and notes that Three years after those first viral clips, older Hyundai and Kia models are still overrepresented in theft claims. Another consumer facing guide on Although vehicle thefts had been climbing for years, warns that the same playbook is now being applied to pickups, with thieves swapping in new technique videos that show how to bypass push button starts or relay key fob signals from inside a house.
Where trucks are most at risk
Geography plays a big role in how likely a truck is to vanish. A recent ranking of state level theft rates found that the state with the highest rate of car thefts was Colorado, according to Compare the Market, with By Chasity Maynard explaining that Subtitle Settings and other on screen tools helped visualize how quickly some regions have climbed the charts. Another version of that same report on Compare the Market again highlights Colorado at the top, with Publi notes that some metro areas are driving much of the spike.
Regional breakdowns also show how truck heavy states face unique pressure. A report asking In Florida whether you drive one of the most stolen vehicles notes that Ford pickups, the Honda Accord, and the Nissan Altima dominate theft claims there. A companion piece on A new report finds that pickup trucks are the most stolen vehicles nationally, with New Hampshire showing the lowest rates, underscoring how a truck parked in Miami or Denver faces a very different risk profile than the same model in a quiet New England town.
How truck owners can fight back
For drivers, the goal is not to win a tech arms race with professional thieves, it is to make their truck a less appealing target than the one parked next to it. Security pros who specialize in trailers say the best approach is layering, with one expert noting that observed that integrating multiple security measures, such as electronic locks and GPS trackers, provides the strongest defense. That same guide stresses that using GPS tracking not only helps recover stolen rigs but also lets owners refine their parking and storage habits based on real world patterns.
Legal consequences are another piece of the deterrence puzzle, even if they are mostly out of an owner’s hands. Defense attorneys explain that Factors that Escalate the Charge What turns a typical auto theft into a second degree felony often come down to the value of the vehicle and whether weapons or prior convictions are involved. Security consultants who study dealership crime add that How Auto Dealership shows the same pattern, with tougher penalties and better monitoring slowly nudging some crews away from the most fortified lots and toward softer targets, which is exactly why truck owners are being urged to harden their own driveways and job sites before thieves come looking.
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