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FACT BRIEF

Has Minneapolis recorded nearly double the number of motor vehicle thefts in 2023 as compared to 2022?

By Alberto Gomez
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YES

Minneapolis police have recorded 4,328 motor vehicle thefts as of June 25, 2023, compared to 2,388 by this time in 2022. Such thefts averaged 2,052 per year by this date over the past three years.

Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara told WCCO radio in April that 9 of 10 auto thefts in the state were Kias and Hyundais and that a small group of repeat offenders was to blame. A Minneapolis Police Department spokesperson pointed to a "strong correlation" between the release of a TikTok video demonstrating how to steal these vehicles and the subsequent uptick in these thefts across the country. As of May 1, the top ten offenders averaged 15 years old and were responsible for 86 vehicle thefts.

Similar trends occurred in many major U.S. cities, Axios reported.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
City of Minneapolis Minneapolis Crime Dashboard | Motor Vehicle Theft
Audacy Chief O'Hara WCCO Interview
KARE 11 Chief O'Hara KARE11 Interview
MinnPost MPD June 21 Inquiry (edited).pdf
Axios TikTok and car thefts: What's behind the nationwide rise
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Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.