Vehicle theft trends in Latin America

Vehicle theft trends in Latin America show a high prevalence of motorcycle targeting and the implementation of new recovery and reporting technologies.

In Honduras, authorities identified that motorcycles account for approximately 81% of reported vehicle thefts. Investigations have focused on criminal groups like ‘El Payaso’ and the use of clandestine workshops to dismantle or modify vehicles for illegal resale. In Peru, data indicated that nearly 67% of stolen vehicles were motorcycles or mototaxis, with the majority of thefts occurring while vehicles were parked.

Efforts to combat these crimes have evolved toward digital solutions. In Peru, the National Superintendency of Public Registries (Sunarp) has deployed the ‘Alerta Robo’ digital platform, which allows owners to report thefts via Electronic Vehicle Identification Cards to trigger real-time alerts. Meanwhile, in Mexico, insurance data shows a 16% decrease in the theft of insured vehicles, marking a 15-year low. Reports suggest that rapid notification is a key factor in recovery, with 60% of recovered vehicles being located because the theft was reported within four to six hours.