Vehicle Theft in Broward County, Florida
227 cases (2025) · Broward County courts
Updated September 2026 · 2025 data
In 2025, Broward County handled 227 vehicle theft cases with uniquely favorable outcomes dominated by withheld adjudication. Withheld rate of 36.6% was nearly triple the statewide 13.3%, meaning Broward judges frequently spared formal conviction records. Guilty rate of 59.0% was low; acquittal at 1.8% and dismissal at 2.6% exceeded statewide patterns. Zero diversion was the only restrictive element. The pattern suggests strong judicial protectiveness toward defendant records.
Confinement was significant despite favorable adjudication: 32.2% prison, 28.6% jail (60.8% total). Median sentence was 366 days (1 year); average 735 days (2 years). Probation averaged 969 days. The combination of high withholding and substantial confinement suggests Broward imposes real incarceration while preserving employment prospects through record protection. No counsel breakdown was provided but the favorable withholding rates suggest robust defense.
Citing these figures? Attribution line and monthly data pack.
Before Court: State Attorney Decisions
Not every Vehicle Theft charge in Broward County makes it in front of a judge. Of 2,679 prosecutor decisions on Vehicle Theft charges (2023-2025), the State Attorney declined to file, dropped, or dismissed 54.8% — above the 42.2% statewide rate. These decisions happen early in a case, before trial.
Source: Florida Department of Law Enforcement, State Attorney case data (2023-2025). Rates are per charge, not per defendant — a dropped charge often reflects a plea agreement on another charge in the same case, not the case going away. Percentages are of charges receiving a prosecution decision; transfers between courts are excluded. Court outcome data on this page is a separate dataset covering cases that reached disposition. Statewide charging patterns: The Florida Prosecution Report.
Outcome Breakdown (2025)
Exhibit · Case outcomes (2025)
Largest outcomeGuilty — 59.0% of 227 cases.
Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · 227 cases · 2025 — FloridaCourtFile.com
Sentencing Breakdown (2025)
Exhibit · Sentencing when convicted (2025)
Confinement-type detail below is computed across all available years (2023-2025).
| Confinement Type | Count | Avg Sentence (confined) |
|---|---|---|
| County Jail | 208 | 8.2 months |
| State Prison Facility | 180 | 2.6 years |
Convicted defendants' full sentencing detail — sentence ranges, fines, prison vs. probation odds: Vehicle Theft sentencing in Broward County.
Demographics (2025)
Demographic data reflects systemic patterns in the criminal justice system and should not be used to draw conclusions about any racial or ethnic group. Disparities may reflect differences in policing, prosecution, and socioeconomic factors rather than actual crime rates.
| Race | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 163 | 62.0% | 3.1% |
| Not Available | 64 | 51.6% | 1.6% |
Age Distribution (2025)
Year-Over-Year Trends
Exhibit · Disposition trends
| Year | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate | Avg Sentence (confined) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 173 | 64.7% | 0.0% | 1 year, 5 months |
| 2024 | 235 | 54.5% | 1.3% | 1 year, 4 months |
| 2025 | 227 | 59.0% | 2.6% | 2.0 years |
Quarterly detail
Quarterly figures recompute from monthly disposition counts; quarters with fewer than 30 cases are suppressed.
Charge Level Breakdown
| Level | Degree | Cases |
|---|---|---|
| Felony | Third Degree | 633 |
| Felony | Second Degree | 2 |
Related Charges in Broward County
Rates shown are 2025 unless marked otherwise.
| Charge | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traffic Offense | 6,643 | 22.2% | 1.7% |
| Larceny / Theft | 3,223 | 62.6% | 1.7% |
| Drug Possession | 2,033 | 54.5% | 12.2% |
| Resisting Officer | 1,592 | 52.6% | 5.2% |
| Trespassing | 1,381 | 55.9% | 4.6% |
| Other | 1,341 | 33.0% | 32.5% |
| Battery | 830 | 54.1% | 8.4% |
| Fraud | 992 | 55.0% | 3.2% |
Cite this page
FloridaCourtFile.com (2026). Vehicle Theft in Broward County, Florida (2025). Based on 227 public court records; last updated September 2026. https://www.floridacourtfile.com/charges/vehicle-theft/broward
About this data: Statistics are derived from FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency records for Broward County. "Guilty" includes all cases where the defendant was found guilty. "Adjudication withheld" is a Florida-specific disposition where guilt is found but the court withholds formal adjudication under FL Statute 948.01. "Dismissed" includes all cases dismissed by the court or prosecution.
Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · 227 cases (2025) · Data last updated September 2026 — FloridaCourtFile.com