Ever since we stopped hanging thieves for stealing our rides, ride theft has exploded in the country. While horse and cattle thieves were routinely hanged (ala Lonesome Dove), car and truck thieves enjoy relatively light sentences. Anyone who has ever had their car stolen might think thieves deserve frontier justice; but unfortunately car thief victims don’t make the laws.Regardless of your law enforcement leanings, if you’re the sort of person who likes to find your car where you parked it, you might care to check out the latest statistics regarding the most stolen autos.
How does your ride stack up against others in regard to attractiveness for thieves?
National Crime Information Center Data
The list shows thieves chose Hondas #1 and #2. The Japanese cars are followed by American-made pickup trucks. Ford pickups finished in third place, while Chevys came in fourth.
The National Insurance Crime Bureau ranked the 10 most stolen vehicles in the country with data from the NCIC.
America’s Hottest – Most Stolen – Autos
Top Ten Most Stolen Autos – 2015
(total thefts tallied):
1. Honda Accord (52,244)
2. Honda Civic (49,430)
3. Ford pickup (full size) (29,396)
4. Chevrolet pickup (full size) (27,771)
5. Toyota Camry (15,466)
6. Ram pickup (full size) (11,212)
7. Toyota Corolla (10,547)
8. Nissan Altima (10,374)
9. Dodge Caravan (9,798)
10. Chevrolet Impala (9,225)
Model Year 2015 – Most Stolen Autos
1. Nissan Altima (1,104)
2. Chrysler 200 (1,069)
3. Toyota Camry (923)
4. Toyota Corolla (776)
5. GMC Sierra (670)
6. Dodge Charger (666)
7. Hyundai Sonata (632)
8. Chevrolet Malibu (629)
9. Chevrolet Impala (594)
10. Chevrolet Cruze (586)
Foolproof Theft Protection?
NICB President and CEO Joe Wehrle said that the number of late-model autos stolen despite their anti-theft protection goes to show the technology isn’t foolproof. Criminals continually work to beat the latest anti-theft devices while auto makers continue to work on improving security.
The National Insurance Crime Bureau offers advice to prevent car theft:
- Lock your car and take the keys. (Hello!)
- Carry a visible or audible warning device to help spot your car.
- Install an immobilizing device, such as a kill switch, fuel cut-off, smart keys. A car that won’t start is harder to steal. (Though thieves do tow steal.)
- Track your car. A tracking device can send signals to police or monitoring stations.
Frontier Justice for Ride Thieves?
Of course these solutions all take money and time, the same thing thieves are stealing when they proffer your ride. We feel that maybe hanging wasn’t such a bad idea. Say what you will about ‘cruel and unusual punishment,’ hanging car thieves would at least prevent repeat offenders. It might also prevent a lot of first-time car hackers or jackers. Just sayin.’
Top Ten Stolen Vehicles for June – Houston
Auto thieves in Texas and the city of Houston, meanwhile, show a decided preference for pickup trucks, which comprise the top three spots in the city’s hottest auto list for June 2016.
The Houston Police Department reported July 13, 2016 the following rundown of the “Top Ten” makes of vehicles reported as stolen to HPD during the month of June 2016. The total number stolen for the month was 759.
1. Chevrolet Trucks – 229
2. Ford Trucks – 83
3. Dodge Trucks – 80
4. Chevrolet Cars – 53
5. Toyota Cars – 49
6. Honda Cars – 41
7. GMC Trucks – 33
8. Ford Cars – 30
9. Nissan Cars – 27
10. Dodge Cars – 24
Related
- Houston Car Accident Attorney
- Houston Truck Accident Lawyer
- Truck Crash kills Girl in Sealy
- USA Today: America’s 10 Most Stolen Vehicles
by Matthews & Associates
