Carjackers targeting luxury vehicles throughout the United States are sending stolen cars to an unlikely destination in an attempt to maximize profits while minimizing the chances of getting caught. 

The nation’s capital has served as an unlikely vessel for stolen luxury vehicles in recent years, with Washington seeing the highest vehicle theft rate throughout the country in 2023, according to data from the National Insurance Crime Bureau.

In 2023, carjacking rates within Washington were so high, the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) devised an undercover operation to take down an 18-year-old repeat offender who was allegedly working with other teenagers.

A steering wheel lock of a car in Washington, D.C., in June 2023. (Celal Gunes/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

“These are organized rings, and they recruit people, and it’s much easier to recruit younger people when they know the penalties are so minor for getting caught,” Stoltmann said. 

As carjacking incidents throughout the country continue to climb – with 1,020,729 reported incidents in 2023 – experts are discovering new methods being used by thieves.

RFID cloning disks or the Flipper Zero Device have the ability to replicate radio signals emitted by key fobs, with criminals using tracking devices to follow vehicles they are interested in stealing, according to the NICB. 

“Vehicle crimes have surged across the nation since the start of the pandemic, especially in dense urban areas,” an NICB spokesperson told Fox News Digital. “Even though this past year we’ve seen a 17% decrease in vehicle thefts, we’re still not yet at pre-pandemic figures, and some areas hit harder than others are still experiencing significant highs in all types of auto thefts.”

The NICB suggests drivers protect themselves and their cars by parking in well-lit areas, not leaving a running vehicle unattended, and calling law enforcement as soon as possible if their vehicle is stolen.