Israel Car Thefts Fell 21% in 2025 as Police, IDF and Ituran Crack Down, Study Finds

Car thefts in Israel fell by about 21% in 2025 compared with the previous year, following stepped-up enforcement by the Israel Police and IDF alongside intelligence and recovery operations led by vehicle tracking firm Ituran, the company said on Sunday.

According to Ituran’s annual study, the joint effort led to the arrest of 610 suspected car-theft gangs in 2025, the highest number on record. The arrests prevented an estimated 3.3 billion shekels ($900 million) in economic losses, Ituran said.

“In 2025, Ituran achieved a record in dismantling car-theft gangs,” said Ituran Chief Executive Nir Sharetzky. “These arrests are expected to prevent thousands of potential thefts in 2026 and beyond.”

Theft Peaks and Timing

The single day with the highest number of thefts was April 16, during the Passover holiday (Chol Hamoed), the study found. May was the peak month for car thefts overall in 2025.

Investigators estimate that about 52% of stolen vehicles were destined for dismantling and resale as spare parts, while roughly 48% were intended for resale in Israel or the Palestinian Authority.

Geographic Breakdown

The Dan Bloc, Israel’s central metropolitan area, continued to top the list, accounting for 47% of all thefts. It was followed by the Sharon region (18%), the Shefela (11%), Jerusalem and Modi’in (10%), the south (9%), the north (4%), and Judea and Samaria (1%).

About 60% of stolen vehicles taken from the Dan Bloc were moved through checkpoints and gaps along Route 443 toward Palestinian Authority areas, particularly around Ramallah, the report said.

Vehicles Most Targeted

By vehicle type, theft attempts in 2025 were concentrated in:

• Jeeps and SUVs: 47%

• Private cars: 34%

• Motorcycles: 11%

• Commercial vehicles: 5%

• Trucks: 2%

• Military vehicles: 1%

Nearly 59% of stolen vehicles were from the 2021–2024 model years.

White vehicles were the most frequently stolen (42%), followed by black (16%), gray (16%), silver (6%) and blue (3%).

How Thieves Operate

The study found that 62% of thefts involved electronic hacking via the vehicle’s OBD (on-board diagnostics) port. In 15% of cases, thieves had access to the vehicle’s key, while 12% involved forced entry. About 10% were stolen by towing or loading the vehicle, and 1% involved direct robbery from the owner.

A Shift to Round-the-Clock Theft

One of the most notable trends in recent years is the disappearance of a clear “nighttime” theft pattern. While about 80% of car thefts once occurred at night, thieves are now operating around the clock, seven days a week, Ituran said.

“The data show a fundamental change in criminal behavior,” the company noted, adding that continuous enforcement and improved vehicle security remain critical to sustaining the decline in thefts.