Thieves across the nation have a new favorite vehicle they love to steal, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau’s latest annual “Hot Wheels” ranking.
An analysis of crime data from across the country shows that the Ford full-size pickup was the most stolen vehicle of 2019. The pickup earned the dubious honor by beating out the Honda Civic, which always finishes at or near the top of this list.
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The 10 most commonly stolen vehicles — along with the model year thieves most commonly targeted — in 2019 were:
- Ford pickup (full size): 38,938 thefts, with the 2006 model being stolen most often
- Honda Civic: 33,220 total thefts, 2000 model
- Chevrolet pickup (full size): 32,583 total thefts, 2004 model
- Honda Accord: 30,745 total thefts, 1997 model
- Toyota Camry: 15,656 total thefts, 2007 model
- Nissan Altima: 13,355 total thefts, 2015 model
- Toyota Corolla: 12,137 total thefts, 2018 model
- Dodge pickup (full size): 11,292 total thefts, 2001 model
- GMC pickup (full size): 11,164 total thefts, 2018 model
- Honda CR-V: 10,094 total thefts, 2001 model
In the past, the NICB has noted that older cars often appear on the Hot Wheels list because they were built without robust anti-theft technology. So, it’s a mistake to think that driving around an old beater means you don’t have to worry about your wheels being stolen.
In fact, not realizing that thieves target older cars is one of the “8 Dumb Mistakes That Make Your Car an Easy Target for Thieves.”
The NICB offers some other tips for keeping your car out of the clutches of thieves, including:
- Use common sense. Keep your keys out of the ignition if you are away, and lock the doors.
- Add a warning device. These include alarms, steering column collars and brake locks.
- Use an immobilizing device. These prevent thieves from bypassing the ignition to “hot wire” the car. Smart keys, fuse cut-offs and kill switches are examples.
- Install a tracking device. This type of device sends a signal to police or a monitoring station that helps the authorities know where the car is at any given time.
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