Vehicle theft trends show high motorcycle targeting in Honduras and Peru

Vehicle theft remains a significant criminal issue in Honduras and Peru, with motorcycles being the most frequently targeted vehicles.

In Honduras, the Dirección Policial de Investigaciones (DPI) reported 435 vehicle thefts, with motorcycles accounting for approximately 81% of these cases. Authorities have identified clandestine workshops used to hide, dismantle, or modify vehicles to alter their identification numbers and documentation for illegal resale. While the DPI has recovered 64.8% of reported units, investigations continue into criminal structures like ‘El Payaso’ that specialize in these activities.

In Peru, data from the Instituto Nacional de Estadística e Informática (INEI) and the Ministry of the Interior shows that during the first half of 2025, 84.9% of the 10,205 reported vehicle thefts occurred while the units were parked. Motorcycles and mototaxis represented nearly 67% of the stolen vehicles. Between May and June 2026, national operations resulted in the recovery of 1,212 vehicles.