Car Theft Surges in Israel with Peak at 3 AM and Highest Incidents on May 12

Despite increased security measures and enforcement efforts, car thefts in Israel remain rampant, continuing unabated throughout all days and hours. Data from the first half of 2026, based on a nationwide sample of about one million vehicles by Ituran, reveals that the peak hour for thefts is 3:00 AM, with Tuesday, May 12, recording the highest number of incidents.

The Tel Aviv metropolitan area (Gush Dan) is the primary hotspot, accounting for 40% of thefts, followed by the Sharon region (18%), Jerusalem and Modiin (15%), the Shephelah (12%), the south (11%), the north (3%), and Judea and Samaria (1%). The study found that 58% of thefts involved connecting and coding to the vehicle's OBD port, 22% involved thieves having the car keys, 9% were violent break-ins, and 11% involved towing or loading the vehicle.

SUVs and crossovers were the most targeted vehicles, comprising 40% of theft attempts, followed by private cars at 35%, motorcycles at 14%, commercial vehicles and trucks each at 5%, and construction equipment at 1%. White cars were stolen most frequently (39%), followed by black (18%) and gray (9%).

According to the research, 60% of stolen vehicles were dismantled for parts, while 40% were sold within Israel and Palestinian Authority areas, with key destinations including Tulkarm, Qalqilya, Ramallah, and Hebron. Vehicles stolen from cities like Rosh HaAyin, Petah Tikva, and Kfar Saba often reach Judea and Samaria within 5 to 7 minutes.

Ituran CEO Nir Shartzky highlighted that in the first half of 2026, the company led to the arrest of 227 suspected car theft rings, saving the Israeli economy approximately 1.2 billion shekels. These arrests are expected to prevent thousands of potential thefts in 2026 and beyond.