Honda is on a roll. The automakers 1995 Civic model was the most-stolen car in the U.S. last year and the 1991 Honda Accord come in third on the list, according a study conducted by the National Insurance Crime Bureau.
Most Stolen | |
1. | 1995 Honda Civic |
2. | 1989 Toyota Camry |
3. | 1991 Honda Accord |
4. | 1994 Dodge Caravan |
5. | 1994 Chevrolet C/K 1500 pickup |
6. | 1997 Ford F-150 series |
7. | 2003 Dodge Ram |
8. | 1990 Acura Integra |
9. | 1988 Toyota pickup |
10. | 1991 Nissan Sentra |
The second most stolen car in the country was the Toyota Camry. In fact late-model Hondas and Toyotas continue to be favorite targets for car thieves. Japanese brands fill six of the top ten most stolen slots.
In 2004, 1.24 million cars were stolen throughout the U.S. That is roughly one car every 25 seconds.
Heres some good news though. The figure is 1.9 percent lower than 2003, when there were 1.26 million reported car thefts.
The insurance and auto industries are working together in an effort come up with vehicle design modifications that make cars more difficult to steal.
Examples include high-tech door designs, where car locks are more difficult to pick, as well as immobilizers placed in the head of a key, a computer chip that communicates specifically with a computer in the vehicle, making hot wiring more difficult.
These design changes help prevent new car thefts, which is a primary reason thieves now tend to focus on older vehicles.
Thefts of older cars also may reflect growth in the so-called tuner market, where older, mainly Japanese-made cars are modified for road racing.
Thefts decreased by 10 percent in the Northeast. In the Midwest, thefts fell 4 percent. The South had a 3 percent decline, while in the West, thefts increased 36 percent over 2003.
