Vehicle thefts are spiking in Chicago

Car thefts are spiking in dozens of U.S. cities, including Chicago.

Why it matters: The mirrored data suggest our crime patterns could have roots and solutions outside our city limits.

By the numbers: Chicago's vehicle thefts have more than doubled compared to this time last year.

• Nationally, they rose around 34% from the same time last year, Axios' Ivana Saric reports from a midyear report released this month by the Council on Criminal Justice.

Between the lines: It's likely that the surge in Kia and Hyundai thefts — which came on the heels of a TikTok trend showing users how to steal those cars — have fueled much of the increase, the report said.

• The report, however, noted that theft rates were already rising before those brands became popular targets.

Of note: Cases of "motor vehicle theft" — when a car is stolen without the owner present — exclude carjackings, which are tracked in a different category.

• Local carjackings have fallen dramatically since last year.