The 10 Worst Neighborhoods for Car Theft

How safe if your neighborhood from auto theft?

In 2009, an estimated 794,616 motor vehicle thefts occurred nationwide, at a rate of three for every 1,000 U.S. residents. The good news is auto theft overall is on the decline: The estimated number of motor vehicle thefts declined 17.1% when compared with data from 2008, and is down 35.7% from 2005 levels.

If you live in an urban neighborhood, there’s no doubt your risk of auto theft is higher than if you live in a suburban or rural setting. Still, some urban neighborhoods are more dicey than others -- especially when it comes to securing your car.

Personal-finance website Walletpop recently ranked the “Top 10 Worst Neighborhoods for Car Theft,” using data collected by neighborhood-information website NeighborhoodScout.com. (Your neighborhood not on the list? You can get the risk of theft for your neighborhood from NeighborhoodScout here.). Here are its rankings of the neighborhoods most prone to auto theft

223.77

Chance of Having Your Vehicle Stolen (if you live in this neighborhood one year): 1 in 4

2. Lubertha Johnson Park, Las Vegas, Nev.

Thefts Per 1,000: 164.76

Chance of Having Your Vehicle Stolen: 1 in 6

3. Peralta Villa, Oakland, Calif.

Thefts Per 1,000: 137.64

Chance of Having Your Vehicle Stolen: 1 in 7

4. Dolittle Park, Las Vegas, Nev.

Thefts Per 1,000: 130.74

Chance of Having Your Vehicle Stolen: 1 in 8

5. D Street, Las Vegas, Nev.

Thefts Per 1,000: 122.29

Chance of Having Your Vehicle Stolen: 1 in 8

6. First Ward, Charlotte, N.C.

Thefts Per 1,000: 103.54

Chance of Having Your Vehicle Stolen: 1 in 10

7. Astor Avenue, Commerce, Calif.

Thefts Per 1,000: 95.33

Chance of Having Your Vehicle Stolen: 1 in 10

8. Cabrillo Road, San Jose, Calif.

Thefts Per 1,000: 95.05

Chance of Having Your Vehicle Stolen: 1 in 11

9. Triangle, Milwaukee, Wis.

Thefts Per 1,000: 94.96

Chance of Having Your Vehicle Stolen: 1 in 11

10. Jordan Downs, Los Angeles, Calif.

Thefts Per 1,000: 92.60

Chance of Having Your Vehicle Stolen: 1 in 11