Last year, there were 6,829 thefts of motor vehicles in D.C. — an 82% increase from the previous year. In the first four days of 2024, 53 cars have already been stolen in the nation’s capital.
The troubling spike in stolen cars in the District seems to be continuing into 2024.
According to D.C. police data, there were 6,829 thefts of motor vehicles last year — an 82% increase from the previous year.
In the first four days of 2024, 53 cars have already been stolen.
On New Year’s Day, Jessie Sethi and her husband had just gotten off a train at Union Station, and had loaded their luggage into the trunk of a Lyft.
“I touched the car, and all of a sudden I feel the car moving, and the Lyft driver screaming ‘hey, hey, that’s my car,’” Sethi told NBC Washington.
The thief drove away with the Lyft vehicle, including the couple’s luggage.
NBC Washington reports that D.C. police located the stolen car, including the Sethi’s luggage, but the person who drove the car away is unaccounted for.
D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department has been handing out digital tracking tags to help locate vehicles in areas of the District that have been hardest hit by car thefts.
Mayor Muriel Bowser introduced the beginning of the air tag program in November 2023.
“These tags and tiles will help MPD recover stolen vehicles and hold people accountable,” Bowser said. “The word will also get out that this is not a community to come in and steal cars because it won’t be worth your while.”
Then-acting police chief Pamela Smith said the air tag program will help recover stolen vehicles and provide evidence that can reduce the rash of thefts.
“What we know is individuals that are involved in this type of criminal activity often commit multiple offenses, and a single arrest can help bring closure to multiple cases,” Smith said.
WTOP’s Abigail Constantino contributed to this report.
Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.
© 2024 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.
Violence may seem to be rising in D.C., but police say there is no citywide surge.
According to police, the violence has been in short, intense bursts, driven by conflicts between small groups.
Homicide numbers in the District are down this year, but this sudden burst of violence is raising new questions.
Police report 18 homicides to date for 2026. This is in comparison to 41 this time last year – which is a 56 percent drop.
But since April 1, MPD report seven homicides, including Tuesday’s murders of two boys ages 12 and 13.
“We’re still processing the scene but we do know there were a large number of shots fired in a very small period of time,” said MPD Police Chief Jeffrery Carroll at the Tuesday shooting scene.
SEE ALSO | Second boy dies in shooting near Northeast DC convenience store; $50K reward offered
So why now?
Police say this isn’t random. Instead, it’s targeted violence, driven by conflicts between small groups of people.
The kind of disputes that can quickly spiral.
“Over the past week, we’ve seen an increase in fatal shootings. It appears to be interpersonal violence between groups of individuals,” added Carroll.
With easy access to guns, even minor disputes can turn deadly – even with police seizing between 40 to 50 firearms in a typical week.
MPD said in 2025 they removed almost 3,000 guns off the streets.
In addition, with the warmer weather more people are gathering outdoors.
Cities often see short-term spring or summer spikes in crime.
Furthermore, MPD says the violence is concentrated in specific neighborhoods, especially parts of the southeast.
To combat spikes in crime, MPD will often respond by flooding high-crime hot spots with officers – which this year has meant federal agents, including ATF, Secret Service, and the National Guard.
Even with the recent spike in murders, D.C. remains on track for one of its lowest homicide years in decades.
A D.C. police officer was arrested and charged with sexual solicitation of a minor and child pornography.
Metropolitan Police Department Lt. Matthew Mahl, who previously served as chairman of the D.C. Police Union, was arrested in Harford County, Maryland.
MPD revoked Mahl’s police powers and placed him on administrative leave, a spokesperson said. The Harford County Sheriff’s Office contacted MPD’s internal affairs division shortly after he was arrested, they said.
“The allegations in this case are extremely disturbing, and in direct contrast to the values of the Metropolitan Police Department. MPD’s Internal Affairs Division will investigate violations of MPD policy once the criminal investigation concludes,” a statement said.
Court records show Mahl is being held without bond and is scheduled for a bond review hearing on Wednesday.
Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story.
News4 sends breaking news stories by email. Go here to sign up to get breaking news alerts in your inbox.
The 2026 USU Summer Meeting is a premier convening for presidents and chancellors of public, urban-serving research institutions who are often at the forefront of innovation within higher education. This meeting will be hosted in downtown Washington, DC on June 16, 2026, from 12:00 – 4:45 pm, in association with APLU’s Council of Presidents summer convening.
Please direct any questions to usucoalition@aplu.org.
‘Little Rascals’ star Bug Hall arrested in Ohio
Georgia House Special Runoff Election 2026 Live Results
Arkansas TV meteorologist Melinda Mayo retires after nearly four decades on air
Parents charged after toddler injured by wolf at Pennsylvania zoo
Potawatomi Casino Hotel evacuated after fire breaks out in rooftop HVAC system
Can You Name These Novels Based on Their Characters?
ABC Kite Fest Returns to Austin for Annual Celebration – Austin Today
Primanti Bros. closes Monroeville and North Versailles locations
