APD: Auto theft down 42% compared to last year

KRQE, By Marilyn Upchurch, December 2, 2025

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Car theft is taking a nosedive in Albuquerque. The Albuquerque Police Department said they’re seeing fewer cases, with the city potentially falling off a notorious top ten list.

The Albuquerque Police Department said it’s on track to see a 42% drop in auto thefts this year compared to last year, with more arrests.

“When you look at the work they were doing in 2024, they had 182 arrests. In 2025, we have seen a 22% increase, and they’re at 227 arrests,” said Deputy Chief at the Albuquerque Police Department’s Investigations Bureau George Vega.

APD said the broader trends are showing promising results, too. In 2016, Albuquerque was ranked number one for auto theft in the United States by the “National Insurance Crime Bureau.”

This year, APD said there’s a chance they could be off that top ten list when the ranking is released. At the peak in 2016, roughly 10,000 cars were stolen in Albuquerque. This year, Albuquerque has seen fewer than 4,000 stolen cars. APD said an expanded auto theft unit and better prosecution have helped.

They also said technology has made a difference, including adding more license plate reading cameras. “197 arrests from the ALPR (Automated License Plate Readers). The expansion of that program has been invaluable. Automated license plate readers are now in more intersections and in every marked unit,” said Albuquerque Police Chief Harold Medina.

The department said they’ve made 42 bait car deployments and made 45 bait car arrests this year alone. They also highlighted the use of ‘grapplers’, which wrap around tires to stop cars.

Honda, Kia, and Hyundai are among the most stolen cars in the city. The city filed a lawsuit last year against Kia and Hyundai, claiming the car makers cut costs by leaving out anti-theft technology.

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