(KRON) -- A recent study conducted by Market Watch, using statistics from the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), revealed some interesting statistics concerning the Golden State and its stolen cars. According to the study, California was the state with the most car thefts in the nation last year. At nearly 210,000 stolen vehicles in 2023, California has more than double the yearly thefts of Texas, the runner-up state in car thefts nationwide. Despite having the highest increase in car thefts compared to any major metro area in the United States, major Bay Area cities-- classified as San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley in the study -- were not the metro area with the highest number of car thefts in California. Cal Fire employee arrested for allegedly starting fires while off duty According to the study, the Los Angeles-Long-Beach-Anaheim area topped the chart at #1, beating its runner-up in the Bay Area by over 30,000 thefts in 2023. The LA metro area reported a total of 72,460 car thefts last year, per the study. The LA metro area might hold the record for most car thefts last year, but it's also the only major metro area with declining rates of car thefts at -0.5% in 2023. The SF area recorded a 28% increase in vehicle thefts, the study says. Other major metros include the Chicago metro area at third, and Houston and Dallas following in fourth and fifth place. The Washington, D.C.-Arlington-Alexandria-VA-MD-WV area experienced the highest increase in vehicle thefts at 52% from 2022 to 2023, the study said. The most stolen vehicle model in 2023, per the NICB, are Hyundai Elantras. Hyundai Sonatas are a close second, with Kia Optimas, Chevrolet Silverado 1500, and Kia Souls following in third, fourth, and fifth place. Photo courtesy: Market Watch According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), more than a million vehicles were stolen in 2023, a nearly 300,000 jump in average car thefts since 2019.