2021 Germany: Car Theft — Most Often Stolen Cars

In 2021, Land Rover remained the highest-risk car brand for theft in Germany with the highest number of stolen cars VWs and SUVs the top choice for auto thieves.

© Kia Motors

In 2021, car theft in Germany was at a record low with fewer than 10,000 stolen autos. As in previous years, Land Rover remained the riskiest brand for car theft although in absolute numbers Volkswagens were the most stolen car marque in Germany in 2021. Surprisingly, the Kia Stinger was the riskiest car to own while all other top-ten highest-risk models were SUVs. Car theft per thousand insured cars in Germany declined to 0.2 vehicles.

Car Theft in Germany in 2021

Car theft in Germany in 2021 fell to a record low of 9805 stolen insured cars, compared to the 1990s when car theft was over 100,000 vehicles in some years and 14,229 in 2019. Although car manufacturers claim better theft protection contributed to the lower number, the consequences of Covid probably played a bigger role. Not only were cars more often at home where security is better but it was also more difficult to cross borders.

According to the Gesamtverband der Versichers (GDV), a German insurance association, the average damage per stolen car in Germany in 2021 was €19,100 or over €500,000 per day and €187 million in 2021.

Car Theft Statistics for Germany 1993-2021

According to GDV statistics, car theft in Germany and the insurance cost were as follows from 1993 to 2021:

YearCars StolenTotal Cost in € millionCars Stolen Per 1000 Insured
20219,8051870.2
202010,697214
201914,229279.40.4
201815,037298.40.4
201717,493323.70.5
201618,227299.20.5
201518,659291.30.5
201417,8952620.5
201318,805263.90.5
201218,063242.20.5
201119,658259.60.6
201019,503257.20.6
200918,2152190.5
200816,134175.70.5
200716,502178.30.5
200618,965211.40.6
200523,771253
200428,674284
200331,707293
200234,775300.91.1
200137,549308
200042,560316
199948,742333
199858,646378
199765,861427
199676,392497
199589,254589
1994105,248769
1993105,5438003.6
199040,079261West Germany
198534,511153West Germany

Note. All statistics in this article only include cars insured against theft.

Top-Ten Most Stolen Car Models in Germany in 2021

The top ten most stolen car models per thousand insured cars in Germany in 2021 were as follows:

The top ten most stolen cars per thousand insured cars in Germany in 2021 were as follows:

Note: “Diebstahl-Quote” is the number of cars stolen per thousand insured against theft.

The Kia Stinger was the surprisingly highest-risk car model for auto theft in Germany in 2021. Nearly 12% of all insured Kia Stingers in Germany were stolen in 2021. However, as Auto Bild reported, the actual numbers are 35 Stingers stolen out of a total of only 2,900 registered in Germany. As most expensive cars stolen in Germany are considered to be theft on pre-order, it is anybody’s guess if the high-performance Stinger is a popular get-away car or simply used for amateur racing and posing.

All the other top ten most frequently stolen car models in Germany in 2021 were large SUV models. The insurance payout per theft is correspondingly fairly hefty with the high-risk Range Rover third generation causing damage of €75,000 per stolen car.

It should also be noted that the model statistics are very specific to a certain model. For example, all stolen Golfs are spread over the eight different generations of the plate name and not added together, as observers outside the insurance industry would be likely to do.

Highest-Risk Brands for Auto Theft in Germany in 2021

The following were the highest-risk brands for car theft in Germany in 2021 given the “Diebstahl-Quote” of the number of cars stolen per thousand insured against theft:

The following were the highest-risk brands for car theft in Germany in 2021 given the "Diebstahl-Quote" the number of cars stolen per thousand insured against theft:

Land Rover, including the extensive Range Rover SUVs, remained by far the highest-risk car brand for car theft insurers in Germany. The risk of a Land Rover being stolen was more than double that of a Porsche being victim to theft.

Chrysler, which is no longer sold in Germany, moved into second place due to the low number of cars involved. The same is the case for Mitsubishi but for Mazda, both the risk and actual numbers involved are surprisingly high.

Audis are far riskier for car theft than BMWs or Mercedes Benz cars. Volkswagen lagged in 15th place, which may be an indication of better theft protection or the current cars simply not appealing to car thieves.

Most Stolen Cars per Brand in Germany in 2021

The most stolen cars by brand in Germany in 2021 were as follows where “absolut” indicated the total number of cars that were stolen:

The most stolen cars by brand in Germany in 2021 were as follows where "absolut" indicated the total number of cars that were stolen:

Volkswagen, which in recent years had just less than 20% of the German new car market, was the volume leader for stolen cars in Germany in 2021. It was followed by Audi, Mercedes-Benz, and BMW. Not surprisingly the four most popular new car brands in Germany in recent years were also the leading brands for stolen cars.

However, Mazda’s fifth place is far higher than its new car sales position should indicate. Chrysler thefts were only 196 but the released statistics did not give an indication of what model suddenly appealed to auto thieves in 2021.

Stolen Cars by City or State in Germany in 2021

Car theft in German states in 2021 was as follows:

Car theft in German states in 2021 was as follows:

As in previous years, car theft in Berlin remains far more prevalent than in other German cities or states. In Berlin, the risk of a car being stolen per thousand cars insured was 2.2 — double the risk of owning in a car in second-placed Hamburg. In Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg the risk of a car being stolen was only 0.1.

The highest number of cars being stolen in Berlin was at 2,200 also the highest followed by the far more populous North Rhine Westphalia with 1,991. The damage per stolen car was also narrowly the highest in Berlin at €21,596 — just ahead of famously prosperous Hamburg.

About the author:

Henk Bekker

Henk Bekker is a freelance writer with over 20 years of experience in online writing. His best-selling cars website has been reporting car sales statistics since 2008 with classic car auction prices focusing on the most expensive automobiles sold at public auctions in the past decade. He also owns the travel websites European-Traveler.com and Lake Geneva Switzerland. Henk holds an MBA from Edinburgh Business School and an MSc in Finance from the University of London.