Vehicle thefts have dropped by 20% since the start of 2026 compared to the corresponding period last year, according to data from the Pointer location company. However, the third quarter of the year recorded a 4% rise in thefts compared to the corresponding quarter last year.
Concurrently, a decrease was recorded in the share of theft attempts targeting hybrid vehicles, whereas the proportion of electric vehicles out of total theft attempts and thefts saw an increase. The cities of Tel Aviv and Petah Tikva accounted for more than a third of the vehicle theft attempts documented in the third quarter.
Pointer operates the operational array of the Powerfleet Group, which engages in locating and recovering stolen vehicles. In the third quarter of 2026, SUVs and crossovers continued to be the main target for car thieves, accounting for 30% of theft attempts, even though their relative share in the past stood at 35%.
The two-wheeler category continues to maintain its status, accounting for about 25% of all vehicle theft attempts since the beginning of the year. This figure indicates the extensive use of two-wheeled vehicles as a means of rapid escape from crime scenes.
The data further show that electric vehicles account for only 7% of vehicle theft attempts since the beginning of the year, compared to 5% in the corresponding 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 led the table of theft attempts with an identical rate of 17% each of total theft attempts. Jerusalem placed third with 8% of total thefts.
The leading theft method remains cloning a "blank" key while connecting to the OBD port, through which thieves connect to the vehicle's computer.