Rising Vehicle Theft Rates in France: PACA Region Among the Most Affected in 2024
Coyote's latest report reveals a significant increase in vehicle theft across France, with the PACA region ranking third in theft rates.
According to a report published by Coyote on February 6, 2025, the number of cars stolen in France reached 140,269 in 2024, highlighting a persistent issue of vehicle theft in the country.
The Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (PACA) region has emerged as one of the most affected areas, ranking third nationally in terms of theft rates.
Coyote, a French company specializing in tracking technology, has monitored vehicle theft since 2018 through its Observatory of Thefts and Recovery After Theft, leveraging data from 500,000 vehicles equipped with Coyote tracking devices.
This approach has allowed the company to create a risk map indicating the likelihood of vehicle theft across different regions.
In the report, the Île-de-France region topped the list with a theft rate of 5.6 per 1,000 vehicles, followed closely by Hauts-de-France, which experienced a significant 29% increase, with a theft rate of 3.6 per 1,000.
The PACA region recorded a theft rate of 3.5 per 1,000, contributing to its position within the top five regions with the highest vehicle theft rates.
The other regions included in the top five are Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes at 3.4 per 1,000 and Pays de la Loire at 2.5 per 1,000.
Coyote reported that the recovery of stolen vehicles resulted in a monetary value of €52 million in 2024, accounting for approximately 10% of the total value of vehicle thefts in France.
According to Benoît Lambert, General Director of Coyote, 91% of stolen vehicles equipped with tracking solutions were recovered within 48 hours, whereas 60% of vehicles without such technology were never recovered.
Lambert highlighted that the chances of recovery diminish significantly after the initial 48-hour period.
A notable trend in vehicle theft is the prevalence of electronic theft methods, commonly referred to as 'mouse jacking,' accounting for 94% of cases.
This method is rapid and maintains the market value of the vehicle, as it circumvents the need for forced entry.
The types of vehicles most frequently targeted for theft include high-performance models and SUVs. SUVs, which make up half of new vehicle sales in France, accounted for 66% of thefts involving Coyote devices in 2024. Hybrid vehicles were particularly vulnerable, with a reported 3.1 stolen per 1,000 in 2024, representing a 13% increase from 2023.
While electric vehicles are also at risk, they tend to have higher recovery rates due to their autonomy; all electric vehicles stolen in 2024 were reportedly recovered.
An observable shift in vehicle theft trends has occurred post-COVID-19, as vehicles are increasingly found abroad.
The number of recovered vehicles located outside France has quadrupled, now representing 22% more than in 2023. Destinations for these stolen vehicles extend beyond Europe, predominantly affecting regions in Africa and Eastern Europe.
Coyote has noted that during recovery operations, additional stolen vehicles are often discovered alongside those targeted, with such 'incidental seizures' increasing by 32.3% over the past year, including one notable incident involving a container with five stacked stolen cars.
The Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (PACA) region has emerged as one of the most affected areas, ranking third nationally in terms of theft rates.
Coyote, a French company specializing in tracking technology, has monitored vehicle theft since 2018 through its Observatory of Thefts and Recovery After Theft, leveraging data from 500,000 vehicles equipped with Coyote tracking devices.
This approach has allowed the company to create a risk map indicating the likelihood of vehicle theft across different regions.
In the report, the Île-de-France region topped the list with a theft rate of 5.6 per 1,000 vehicles, followed closely by Hauts-de-France, which experienced a significant 29% increase, with a theft rate of 3.6 per 1,000.
The PACA region recorded a theft rate of 3.5 per 1,000, contributing to its position within the top five regions with the highest vehicle theft rates.
The other regions included in the top five are Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes at 3.4 per 1,000 and Pays de la Loire at 2.5 per 1,000.
Coyote reported that the recovery of stolen vehicles resulted in a monetary value of €52 million in 2024, accounting for approximately 10% of the total value of vehicle thefts in France.
According to Benoît Lambert, General Director of Coyote, 91% of stolen vehicles equipped with tracking solutions were recovered within 48 hours, whereas 60% of vehicles without such technology were never recovered.
Lambert highlighted that the chances of recovery diminish significantly after the initial 48-hour period.
A notable trend in vehicle theft is the prevalence of electronic theft methods, commonly referred to as 'mouse jacking,' accounting for 94% of cases.
This method is rapid and maintains the market value of the vehicle, as it circumvents the need for forced entry.
The types of vehicles most frequently targeted for theft include high-performance models and SUVs. SUVs, which make up half of new vehicle sales in France, accounted for 66% of thefts involving Coyote devices in 2024. Hybrid vehicles were particularly vulnerable, with a reported 3.1 stolen per 1,000 in 2024, representing a 13% increase from 2023.
While electric vehicles are also at risk, they tend to have higher recovery rates due to their autonomy; all electric vehicles stolen in 2024 were reportedly recovered.
An observable shift in vehicle theft trends has occurred post-COVID-19, as vehicles are increasingly found abroad.
The number of recovered vehicles located outside France has quadrupled, now representing 22% more than in 2023. Destinations for these stolen vehicles extend beyond Europe, predominantly affecting regions in Africa and Eastern Europe.
Coyote has noted that during recovery operations, additional stolen vehicles are often discovered alongside those targeted, with such 'incidental seizures' increasing by 32.3% over the past year, including one notable incident involving a container with five stacked stolen cars.
