Michigan car thieves heavily preferred to target Chryslers over vehicles made by any other automaker in 2009, according to a report released late last month by the Michigan Auto Theft Prevention Authority.
The group's executive director, Dan Vartanian, told the Detroit News "it is baffling. It has to be supply and demand: The parts are still good, the chop shops have a demand, and so the thieves deliver. In many other states, the most stolen cars are usually Honda Accords and Acuras, but that's not the case in Michigan."
According to the Detroit Free Press, nine of the top 10 most stolen vehicles in the state in 2009 were manufactured by Chrysler, and five of them were different models of the company's Dodge Caravan minivan line. The 2000 Dodge Caravan took first place. The newspaper added that Ford was the only other automaker to crack the top 10, with the 1997 Taurus making 10th place.
The executive director of another group, Help Eliminate Auto Theft, told the Free Press that many models of Chrysler car from the late 1990s and early 2000s did not include critical security equipment like engine immobilizers, and are therefore more easily stolen. However, the company has since rectified this problem in more recent models.
Such vehicle security systems are important in preventing auto theft, according to experts, who add that they can help lower car insurance rates due to the reduced risk of theft. In addition to relying on technical security, keeping cars in areas with plenty of illumination and foot traffic can help make them less attractive targets for thieves.