Doug Supercharged Vipers
Enthusiast
Automobile thieves continue to make the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord their favorite targets in the nation, but there are plenty of regional differences, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB). For instance, if you live in the vicinity of Baltimore, it's your Dodge Caravan that's most likely to be gone in 60 seconds.
But no matter where you live, auto theft rates are on the rise after a 10-year decline, according to NICB. Statistics compiled by the Federal Bureau of Investigation show that auto theft rates increased from 1,152,057 in 1999 to 1,165,559 in 2000, an increase of 1.2 percent. NICB President Robert M. Bryant attributes the jump in thefts to a variety of factors, including a sluggish economy that "spurs more thieves to steal vehicles for financial gain."
The Top 10 and regional favorites:
Some of the most-stolen vehicles in the nation, such as the Camry and the Jeep Cherokee, are also among the Top 10 best-selling vehicles. "Thieves typically choose these vehicles because of their huge profit potential when the cars are stripped down to their components, which then supply a vast black market for stolen parts," Bryant says. "Further, these vehicles are popular in other countries and organized theft rings will illegally export them to foreign destinations."
Top 10 stolen vehicles nationwide in 2000
1. Toyota Camry
2. Honda Accord
3. Oldsmobile Cutlass
4. Honda Civic
5. Jeep Cherokee/Grand Cherokee
6. Chevrolet full-size pickup
7. Toyota Corolla
8. Chevrolet Caprice
9. Ford Taurus
10. Ford F150 pickup
But no matter where you live, auto theft rates are on the rise after a 10-year decline, according to NICB. Statistics compiled by the Federal Bureau of Investigation show that auto theft rates increased from 1,152,057 in 1999 to 1,165,559 in 2000, an increase of 1.2 percent. NICB President Robert M. Bryant attributes the jump in thefts to a variety of factors, including a sluggish economy that "spurs more thieves to steal vehicles for financial gain."
The Top 10 and regional favorites:
Some of the most-stolen vehicles in the nation, such as the Camry and the Jeep Cherokee, are also among the Top 10 best-selling vehicles. "Thieves typically choose these vehicles because of their huge profit potential when the cars are stripped down to their components, which then supply a vast black market for stolen parts," Bryant says. "Further, these vehicles are popular in other countries and organized theft rings will illegally export them to foreign destinations."
Top 10 stolen vehicles nationwide in 2000
1. Toyota Camry
2. Honda Accord
3. Oldsmobile Cutlass
4. Honda Civic
5. Jeep Cherokee/Grand Cherokee
6. Chevrolet full-size pickup
7. Toyota Corolla
8. Chevrolet Caprice
9. Ford Taurus
10. Ford F150 pickup
