Car Theft Declines Overall, But Certain Cities and Vehicle Types Remain Targets

Car theft in Israel has seen a 20% decrease in the first part of 2026 compared to the same period last year, according to data from the tracking company Pointer. However, the third quarter of 2026 experienced a 4% rise in thefts compared to the previous year's third quarter. While attempts to steal hybrid vehicles have decreased, there has been an increase in the proportion of electric vehicles targeted.

Tel Aviv and Petah Tikva accounted for over a third of all car theft attempts recorded in the third quarter. Pointer, which operates as part of the Powerfleet group, specializes in locating and recovering stolen vehicles. SUVs and jeeps continue to be the primary targets for car thieves, making up 30% of theft attempts in Q3 2026, a slight decrease from their previous 35% share.

Two-wheeled vehicles remain a significant target, constituting approximately 25% of all vehicle theft attempts since the beginning of the year, indicating their frequent use as quick escape vehicles from crime scenes. Electric vehicles, while still a smaller portion, saw their share of theft attempts rise to 7% in early 2026 from 5% in the comparable period last year.

The top three cities for vehicle theft attempts in the third quarter were Tel Aviv, Petah Tikva, and Jerusalem. Tel Aviv and Petah Tikva each represented 17% of all theft attempts, while Jerusalem accounted for 8%. The most common method of theft involves duplicating a "golem" key and connecting to the vehicle's OBD port to access its computer system.