Are You Driving One Of The Most Stolen Cars In The U.S.?

Article by Jim Gorzelany Senior Contributor of Cars & Bikes from Forbes.com

According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, a motor vehicle was stolen in the U.S. during 2018 at the rate of once every 42.2 seconds. That amounts to 748,841 pilfered cars and trucks, with an aggregate value of $6.3 billion. On the plus side, the numbers reflect a 3.1 percent decrease in car thefts over 2017’s statistics. While 21 states and the District of Columbia experienced an increase in motor vehicle thefts, 29 states posted fewer vehicles driven off. California experienced the most thefts during 2018, and by a wide margin, with 155,211 reported last year.

And despite what you might otherwise think, the most commonly stolen vehicles aren’t fast and flashy sports cars, nor are they posh and pricey luxury cars. Rather, they are well-worn makes and models that would otherwise go unnoticed in a crowded parking lot. They’re mostly sedans and pickup trucks that, when new, were among the best-selling rides on the road. That’s according to the just-issued annual “Hot Wheels” list of the most stolen cars in the U.S. compiled by the National Insurance Crime Bureau.

As it turns out, older cars are most frequently targeted for their parts. They’re typically broken into and driven off  – sometimes they’re even towed away – to what’s known as a “chop shop,” where they’re quickly dismantled. The parts are then sold off to unsuspecting consumers, usually via the Internet, as well as unscrupulous vendors and repair shops. 

Here are the most stolen vehicles in the U.S. according to the NICB, with the most “popular” model year noted along with the total number of units from all model years taken:

1. Honda Civic (2000) – 38,426
2. Honda Accord (1997) – 36,815
3. Ford F-Series Pickup (2006) – 36,355
4. Chevrolet Silverado Pickup – 31,566
5. Toyota Camry (2017) – 16,906
6. Nissan Altima (2017) – 13,284
7. Toyota Corolla (2017) – 12,388
8. GMC Sierra Pickup (2018) – 11,708
9. Dodge/Ram Pickup (2001) – 11,226
10. Jeep Cherokee/Grand Cherokee (2000) – 9,818

Here are the vehicles from the 2018 model year that were stolen while they were still new last year and the number of units driven off:

1. GMC Sierra Pickup – 1,170
2. Ford F-Series Pickup – 1,017
3. Toyota Camry – 976
4. Nissan Altima – 912
5. Chevrolet Silverado Pickup – 790
6. Hyundai Elantra – 775
7. Ford Transit Van – 723
8. Dodge Charger – 719
9. Toyota Corolla – 699
10. Chevrolet Malibu – 698

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