October 11, 2026

More than 650,000 vehicles were stolen across the United States last year.

The state of Ohio ranks sixth in the U.S. with over 20,000 vehicles stolen.

Columbus leads the state with over 4,500 vehicles stolen in 2025.

That national number translates to one vehicle stolen every 48 seconds.

Can you imagine? Every 48 seconds.

Security expert George Baker, GM's global vehicle security lead, joins us now on Columbus Perspective to talk about how vehicle theft tactics are evolving and what we as drivers can do to better protect ourselves.

George, always a pleasure.

Good morning.

Good morning, Jay.

Thanks.

Good to hear from you again.

Here in Columbus, George, vehicle break-ins and theft seem to fall into three categories.

One, they're looking for guns.

Two, teens looking to joyride.

And three, traditional theft for makeover and resale.

Does that follow the national trend, or is that just specific to Columbus?

No, I think that's pretty close to the national trend.

Unfortunately, there are a number of different requirements by the thieves for different types of vehicles.

In some cases, they're looking for vehicles that are nondescript, easily blending in, so they're going to steal older products so that they can perpetrate other crimes in those vehicles and not be traced back to them.

In other cases, they want to revend or to change the identity of a vehicle in order to sell it overseas, in some cases Africa, Middle East, and to fuel or fund their other illicit activities.

And then lastly, we always have the request or the requirement for thieves to provide spare parts, particularly on older vehicles when spare parts on a popular vehicle are required.

So you've got a number of different requirements or purposes for theft, if you will.

And the way we get ahead of that the best we can is these basic precautions that I know we're going to talk about.

Now, catalytic converters were big stories for us here in Columbus last year.

Lots of thefts for those.

More than 650,000 vehicles were stolen across the United States last year.

The state of Ohio ranks sixth in the U.S. with over 20,000 vehicles stolen.

Columbus leads the state with over 4,500 vehicles stolen in 2025.

That national number translates to one vehicle stolen every 48 seconds.

Can you imagine? Every 48 seconds.

Security expert George Baker, GM's global vehicle security lead, joins us now on Columbus Perspective to talk about how vehicle theft tactics are evolving and what we as drivers can do to better protect ourselves.

George, always a pleasure.

Good morning.

Good morning, Jay.

Thanks.

Good to hear from you again.

Here in Columbus, George, vehicle break-ins and theft seem to fall into three categories.

One, they're looking for guns.

Two, teens looking to joyride.

And three, traditional theft for makeover and resale.

Does that follow the national trend, or is that just specific to Columbus?

No, I think that's pretty close to the national trend.

Unfortunately, there are a number of different requirements by the thieves for different types of vehicles.

In some cases, they're looking for vehicles that are nondescript, easily blending in, so they're going to steal older products so that they can perpetrate other crimes in those vehicles and not be traced back to them.

In other cases, they want to revend or to change the identity of a vehicle in order to sell it overseas, in some cases Africa, Middle East, and to fuel or fund their other illicit activities.

And then lastly, we always have the request or the requirement for thieves to provide spare parts, particularly on older vehicles when spare parts on a popular vehicle are required.

So you've got a number of different requirements or purposes for theft, if you will.

And the way we get ahead of that the best we can is these basic precautions that I know we're going to talk about.

Now, catalytic converters were big stories for us here in Columbus last year.

Lots of thefts for those.