45 people have been detained so far during an operation by the Ministry of Interior and the Prosecutor's Office against criminal groups involved in car theft. The Prosecutor's Office reported that in 2022 there were 120 pre-trial proceedings for car thefts more, in comparison to 2021.

Car thefts mainly take place during the night, the director of the National Investigation Service, Borislav Sarafov, said. Nearly 80% of stolen cars are cut up and sold as used auto parts. The remaining 20% - mainly of expensive brands, are exported from the country with false documents, most often to the countries of the former Soviet Union and Russia. "This is a channel that is operating at the moment and we intend to cut it off and prevent its further operation," Sarafov said.