Car thefts in Israel have more than doubled in the last year, according to insurance company data.
Between 1,200 and 1,300 cars were stolen in December alone, a 100% increase over the same month in 2021. The price of spare components has risen sharply due to supply chain interruptions and a shortage of new autos, increasing the demand for stolen parts.
Ninety-five percent of stolen autos wind up in the Palestinian Authority.
The average cost of a stolen car is NIS 85,000-NIS 90,000 ($24,000-25,000), requiring insurance companies to pay out more than NIS 110 million ($31 million) each month and more than NIS 1.3 billion ($366 million) for the year.
Insurance rates have risen 10% due to increased theft, an insurance executive informed Globes. However, data from the digital insurance service Wobi suggests that the rise could be closer to 20%.
The Mazda 3 is the most commonly stolen vehicle, followed by the Kia Picanto, Mazda 6, Hyundai Tuscon, Kia Niro, Mazda CX5, Kia Sportage, and Hyundai Kona.
It seems that car thieves have not yet figured out what to do with electric cars or where to charge them.
Tel Aviv had the most car stolen, accounting for 10% of the total, followed by Petah Tikva (9%), Jerusalem (6%), Beersheva (5%) and Netanya (4%).
