Mass. Car Theft Rate Highest

After three years of steady decline, Massachusetts has regained the dubious distinction of having the nation’s highest per capita rate of car theft, a national study said today.

The state took the top spot for the number of thefts per 100,000 people and per 100,000 auto registrations in 1985, according to the National Automobile Theft Bureau, with 864.8 thefts per 100,000 people. Following Massachusetts in the list of car thefts per 100,000 people were Michigan, California, New Jersey and Rhode Island.