ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Once again, Albuquerque is on the top of the list for most stolen cars in the country, according to a 2018 study from the FBI. However, the Albuquerque Police Department is urging the public to not completely rely on those numbers.
It’s been a major problem here in Albuquerque with thieves stealing cars, even — police cruisers aren’t safe here. So to have Albuquerque fall right under Anchorage with the most car thefts in 2018 was no shocker.
An FBI study shows Albuquerque had around 817 car thefts per 100,000 people, while Anchorage, AK had about 970. In total, the city of Albuquerque had more than 6,600 stolen cars for 2018.
The problem has gotten so bad, the Albuquerque Police Department even started a Facebook page earlier this month to encourage victims to upload photos of their stolen vehicles.
An APD spokesperson refused to comment on this story, but said these numbers are not current and do not reflect the efforts the department has been working on as of recently. Those efforts include doubling their bait car program and partnering with New Mexico State Police and the Office of the Superintendent to target auto theft offenders to prosecute them.
KRQE News 13 also asked APD for its most recent auto theft numbers, but the spokesperson did not provide them to us.
