Four Percent of Stolen Cars in Israel Re-Stolen This Year

A study by Ituran, a vehicle tracking company, reveals that 4% of cars stolen in Israel during the first three quarters of 2026 were stolen more than once. The research, based on a national sample of 1.1 million vehicles, analyzed theft methods, locations, and vehicle types.

The study found that 56% of vehicle thefts involved connecting to the car's diagnostic port (OBD) to code a new key. In 22% of cases, the car's original key was found with the thief. Violent break-ins accounted for 10% of thefts, while towing or loading the vehicle accounted for the remaining 12%.

The Gush Dan region, encompassing Tel Aviv and surrounding areas, accounted for the largest share of thefts at 41%. Jerusalem and Modi'in combined represented 18%, the Sharon region 15%, the South 14%, and the Shefela region 10%. The North and Judea and Samaria each registered 1% of incidents.

SUVs and jeeps were the most targeted vehicles, making up 40% of theft attempts, followed by private cars (34%) and motorcycles (14%). Commercial vehicles, trucks, and heavy engineering equipment comprised the rest. White vehicles were the most common color stolen, at 40%, and nearly half of stolen cars were manufactured between 2023 and 2026. Most thefts occurred between 3 AM and 5 AM, five times more frequently than during daylight hours.

Ituran CEO Nir Sheretzky stated that the company's efforts led to the arrest of 367 suspected car theft rings in the first three quarters of 2026, saving the Israeli economy an estimated 2 billion shekels. Ituran noted that real-time arrests aid conviction processes and may prevent thousands of future thefts. The primary destinations for stolen vehicles were Tulkarm, Qalqilya, Ramallah, and Hebron.