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IS YOUR CAR
AMONG THE MOST STOLEN?
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A lot of factors influence your auto insurance rates,
including what type of car, truck or SUV we drive.
In Addition where you live is also taken into consideration. When it comes to the car you
drive, one of the factors that influence insurance companies is whether that car, truck or
SUV is frequently stolen.
If your car is on the list of most stolen vehicles, insurance companies will charge
you a higher rate to insure it.
Non-profit organizations such as the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB)
track the most stolen vehicles in America by counting all cars that are reported
stolen by
law enforcement agencies each year.
The NICB's current top ten list of most stolen
vehicles nationwide is as follows:
Toyota Camry
Honda Accord
Honda Civic
Oldsmobile Cutlass
Jeep Cherokee/Grand Cherokee
Chevrolet Full-Size Pickup
Toyota Corolla
Ford Taurus
Chevrolet Caprice
Ford F-150 Pickup
Reports show thieves still prefer to steal cars over SUVs and trucks (approximately 70
percent of the most stolen vehicles in the U.S. are cars), the number of SUVs and trucks
targeted by thieves is going up each year.
The Areas With The Highest Levels Of Car Thefts.
Another important factor for car theft numbers is the region in which you
live. Thieves tend to target large metropolitan areas that are near ports or borders, in
order to easily (illegally) export the car's parts. The NICB's top ten list of U.S.
metropolitan areas with the highest vehicle theft rates in 2002 is as follows:
Phoenix, AZ
Fresno, CA
Modesto, CA
Stockton-Lodi, CA
Las Vegas, NV
Miami, FL
Sacramento, CA
Oakland, CA
Seattle, WA
Tacoma, WA
The NICB reports that FBI statistics show that vehicle theft increased 4.2
percent in the first six months of 2002 (compared to the same period of 2001). At the same
time, vehicle recovery rate has declined in recent years. This makes it extremely
important for drivers (especially those in areas that are commonly targeted for car theft
or who drive cars popular to thieves) to protect themselves by installing devices such as
steering wheel locks, alarms, cut-off switches and fuel disablers, and tracking devices
that give police the location of a stolen vehicle. Not only could they save your car from
being stolen or help authorities find it if it is, but they could also lower your
insurance costs.
While no vehicle is theft proof, here are 3 easy steps to protect your vehicle.
Always park in a well lit public place
Never leave the keys in the vehicle
Have an alarm warning sticker on your windows
These not only represent the top most favorite vehicles that people in your neighborhood
buy and drive, they represent the list of most favorite vehicles of car thieves!
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