Vehicle Theft in Broward County, Florida
223 cases (2025) · Broward County courts
Updated July 2026 · 2025 data
In 2025, vehicle theft in Broward County stood out for extensive use of withheld adjudications, where judges found guilt but withheld formal conviction. These represented 37.2% of outcomes—nearly three times the statewide rate of 13.5%—allowing defendants to avoid a permanent conviction despite a guilt finding. The guilty rate was 58.3%, with dismissals at 2.7% (above the 1.1% statewide average). No defendants accessed diversion programs, and acquittals occurred in only 1.8% of cases. This pattern reflects Broward's approach of establishing guilt while preserving paths to record relief.
Defendants who faced confinement received substantial sentences—an average of 685 days with probation averaging about 2.6 years. Nearly one-third were sentenced to prison, with the remainder in jail. The median sentence of 366 days reflects prison terms for serious cases.
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 42.4% 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 — 58.3% of 223 cases.
Source: FDLE Criminal Justice Data Transparency · 223 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 |
|---|---|---|
| County Jail | 205 | 8.3 months |
| State Prison Facility | 176 | 2.5 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 | 162 | 61.7% | 3.1% |
| Not Available | 60 | 48.3% | 1.7% |
Age Distribution (2025)
Year-Over-Year Trends
Exhibit · Disposition trends
| Year | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate | Avg Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 172 | 64.5% | 0.0% | 1 year, 5 months |
| 2024 | 236 | 54.2% | 1.3% | 1 year, 4 months |
| 2025 | 223 | 58.3% | 2.7% | 1 year, 11 months |
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 | 630 |
| Felony | Second Degree | 1 |
Related Charges in Broward County
Rates shown are 2025 unless marked otherwise.
| Charge | Cases | Guilty Rate | Dismissal Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traffic Offense | 6,520 | 22.1% | 1.7% |
| Larceny / Theft | 3,161 | 62.6% | 1.7% |
| Drug Possession | 2,012 | 54.5% | 12.2% |
| Resisting Officer | 1,556 | 52.6% | 5.3% |
| Trespassing | 1,337 | 55.9% | 4.7% |
| Other | 1,326 | 32.6% | 32.9% |
| Battery | 823 | 53.9% | 8.3% |
| Fraud | 976 | 55.2% | 3.3% |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the guilty rate for Vehicle Theft in Broward County?
The guilty rate is 58.3% based on 223 cases (2025).
How often is adjudication withheld for Vehicle Theft in Broward County?
Adjudication is withheld in 37.2% of cases (2025). This is a Florida-specific outcome where the court finds guilt but does not formally convict, allowing the defendant to avoid a conviction record under FL Statute 948.01.
What is the average sentence for Vehicle Theft in Broward County?
The average sentence is 1 year, 11 months (2025).
What percentage use a public defender vs private attorney?
0.0% of defendants use a public defender, while 0.0% retain private counsel (2025).
Cite this page
FloridaCourtFile.com (2026). Vehicle Theft in Broward County, Florida (2025). Based on 223 public court records; last updated July 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 · 223 cases (2025) · Data last updated July 2026 — FloridaCourtFile.com