SILVER SPRING, Md. (7News) — Montgomery County is seeing a sharp increase in vehicle thefts, bucking a broader decline in car thefts across Maryland and much of the region.
Montgomery County police data shows 1,569 vehicles were stolen in the 12 months ending July 28 — a 22% increase compared with the previous 12-month period.
Thefts are not evenly distributed across the county.
Silver Spring’s 3rd District recorded the most stolen vehicles, with 444. The 6th District, which includes Gaithersburg and Montgomery Village, had 324, while the 4th District, covering Wheaton and surrounding areas, recorded 322.
Together, those three districts accounted for nearly 70% of the county’s vehicle thefts during the period.
The increase comes as vehicle thefts are moving in the opposite direction elsewhere.
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Maryland State Police reported an 8% statewide decline in vehicle thefts over the past year. Nearby jurisdictions have also seen significant decreases, including a 25% drop in Prince George’s County, a 20% decline in Anne Arundel County and a 51% decrease in Washington, D.C.
Montgomery County’s increase also reverses a decline that began after a major spike in 2023. Police recorded 3,366 vehicle thefts that year, the county’s highest total since at least 2016. The number fell to 2,927 in 2024.
Assistant Chief Darren Francke said police have been working with automakers on prevention efforts, including programs involving Kia and Hyundai vehicles.
“Our community policing projects that we worked with Kia and Hyundai, to bring them in to reprogram our residents’ cars — that worked,” Francke said. “Now, unfortunately, because of social media and some other things and the ability of folks to steal cars still easily, we are seeing a trend pick up. So we are working on that one.”
Francke also said thefts from vehicles and theft of vehicle parts remain concerns for police.
The county has dealt with Kia and Hyundai thefts since 2022, when social-media videos demonstrated ways to steal certain models that lacked engine immobilizers. Montgomery County police reported that Hyundai and Kia vehicles accounted for nearly 60% of completed and attempted vehicle thefts in 2023. That share declined to 47% in 2024.
Police are also warning that thieves are increasingly using technology to steal vehicles. Montgomery County Police have previously recovered devices capable of programming or duplicating vehicle keys, allowing thieves to bypass some traditional security measures.
Another concern for police is who is committing the thefts and what happens to the vehicles afterward.
As of July 28, police had arrested 136 people in connection with vehicles stolen in Montgomery County this year. Ninety of those arrested were minors. Police say stolen vehicles can also be used in other crimes.
The county has not identified one definitive reason for the recent increase.
Police say theft patterns can shift between jurisdictions, while juvenile offenders also play a significant role in the local numbers.
For drivers, police and AAA recommend several precautions, including locking vehicles, keeping key fobs away from doors and windows, parking in well-lit areas when possible and considering additional anti-theft devices such as a steering wheel lock or an RFID-blocking case.
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