There was good news and bad news in the report released this week by the National Insurance Crime Bureau. For most motorists, the news that their vehicles were probably less likely to be stolen must have been welcome. For drivers of a few models, however, the report may have made them double-check their car insurance costs.
Slightly older models of three common Japanese-made sedans – the 1994 Honda Accord, 1995 Honda Civic, and 1991 Toyota Camry – were the most-stolen vehicles in the U.S. during 2009. A possible reason for this popularity among car thieves is that parts for these models can be more valuable for resale, according to the NICB. More modern models – which are also more likely to be insured – tend not to be stripped for parts, but rather resold abroad or domestically, with the addition of falsified vehicle identification numbers.
Joe Wehrle, president and CEO of the NICB, said that, out of nearly 98,000 vehicles stolen in 2009, "only 38 percent had some kind of insurance coverage. So there are a lot of vehicles out there that are being stolen and the owner is left holding the bag with no car and no money to buy another one."
The group recommends that motorists take a number of measures to make their vehicles more difficult to steal. Immobilizing devices like smart keys and fuel cut-offs are a major hurdle for all but the most expert thief, and tracking devices can prove invaluable in helping law enforcement track down a stolen car. Most important, though, is common sense, according to the NICB. Simply remembering to take the keys out of the vehicle will foil many opportunistic criminals.