California has secured the dubious honor of topping another list. This time, CBS MoneyWatch has named the twenty worst cities for automobile theft in the country. California has secured 8 of the top 10 spots, and 10 of the top 20.

Heading the California delegation is Fresno, followed by Modesto in second and Bakersfield in third.

The NCIB report did have good news for the county as a whole, as auto theft decreased by 7.2 percent last year.

From CBS MoneyWatch:

What increases a car’s odds of being stolen? Apparently, it’s a California license plate, to judge by data compiled by the National Insurance Crime Bureau. In its annual Hot Spots Report, NICB identifies the metropolitan areas with the highest rate of car theft – and eight of the top 10 areas are in California, with the other two in Washington state.

The report also had a big of good news: The FBI statistics show a 7.2 percent decrease in auto theft nationwide over the previous year. “Improved anti-theft technology and law enforcement efforts have had a significant impact on thefts,” said NICB chief Joe Wehrle – although he pointed out that professional criminal rings and gangs still pose an  ongoing challenge to law enforcement, as well as to car owners.

Read the full article here.