Most Unsafe Cities For Car Owners In India In 2024

In 2023, vehicle thefts surged by 2.5 times in India compared to 2022, as per the findings of Acko Digital Insurance's 'Theft & the City 2024' report. Strikingly, New Delhi, the nation's capital, claimed the highest spot on the charts, with nearly 80% of car thefts attributed to it.

“New Delhi continues to be the reigning city for vehicle thefts, with 80% of car thefts in India happening in New Delhi," states the report.

ALSO READ| Bangalore Water Crisis: Top 10 Indian Cities That Will Face Grave Water Risk

Unsafe Cities For Car Owners 2024

Being the world's third-largest auto market, India finds itself ensnared in the grip of rampant vehicle thefts. As per a report from insurance firm Acko, in the Delhi-NCR region alone, a vehicle disappeared every 14 minutes throughout 2023. The capital city, Delhi, takes the dubious lead in this national crisis, rendering it perilous for car owners, according to Acko's findings. Notably, areas like Shahdara, Patparganj, and Badarpur within Delhi have witnessed the highest incidences of car thefts. The most Unsafe cities for car owners in India are:

1. Delhi-NCR
2. Chennai
3. Bengaluru

The proportion of vehicle thefts in Delhi, juxtaposed with other major metropolitan centres, diminished to 37% in 2023 from 56% in the preceding year. Conversely, Chennai and Bengaluru experienced a significant surge in vehicle theft incidents, registering rates of 10.5% and 10.2%, respectively, in the past year.

Within the Delhi-NCR region, an average of 105 car theft cases were reported annually. Notably, the majority of vehicle thefts occurred on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays, as highlighted in the report.

It's noteworthy that Kolkata emerges as the safest city among the six metropolitan areas surveyed, which also encompass Hyderabad and Mumbai, in terms of car theft occurrences.

ALSO READ| Smart City Mission: Top 8 Emerging Smart Cities Of India

Which Cars Were Stolen The Most?

Many of the vehicles pilfered from Mumbai found their way to Nepal or the eastern regions of India, where the registration procedures remained untouched by digitalisation.

Among the vehicles targeted for theft, Maruti Suzuki's WagonR emerged as the most commonly stolen car nationwide. Remarkably, Maruti Suzuki cars collectively constitute the highest share of theft incidents in the country, accounting for 47%, as per the report. Alongside WagonR, other frequently pilfered models include the Swift, Hyundai Creta, Hyundai Grand i10, and Maruti Swift Dzire. This compilation is based on ACKO's 'Theft & The City 2024' report, constructed through an amalgamation of ACKO's internal database and external sources.

ALSO READ| Top 10 Largest Cities in the World By Population [2024]