Older Hondas and Toyotas preferred among Arcata auto theft

The City of Arcata, and surrounding communities, have seen a significant increase in auto thefts in the past year. 

The Arcata Police Department received 135 reports of stolen vehicles in 2021, a 78% increase over the previous year, and the trend appears to be continuing into 2022. Fortunately, Arcata Police Officers were able to recover 102 stolen vehicles during the same time period. In many cases however, the vehicles had been damaged and valuable contents had been taken.

A significant number of the vehicles were taken off the street, with many parked in front of the owner's residences. Older Honda and Toyota vehicles have been frequent targets of thieves, but vehicles of all types have been taken. In many cases the vehicles were unlocked with some left running while owners were defrosting their windshields.