Auto Theft Prevention with a Security Plan to Reduce Risk of Loss

2013 Top Stolen Cars List

Podcast Time Stamps:

[01:05] — Vehicle theft is a lucrative business for organized crime.
[01:50] — FBI Uniform Crime Reports – 2014 – Statistics about vehicle theft.
[03:10] — Develop an auto theft prevention security plan.
[04:00] — Top ten stolen vehicles. FBI UCR 2014.
[06:15] — Peak vehicle theft year was 1991.
[07:00] — Transponder technology aids police in recovering stolen vehicles.
[08:35] — Most active months for vehicle theft.
[09:15] — High risk behavior increases auto theft risks.
[11:15] — Highest vehicle theft rate in seaport and Mexican border cities
[13:25] — One-third of vehicles stolen had keys inside.
[15:20] — Vehicle theft arrest rate is low especially in big cities.
[17:05] — Contents of a car is often the reason for it being stolen.
[20:15] — Rule of thumb and security plan for vehicle contents.
[21:10] — Beware of vehicle navigation system programming.

Auto Theft Prevention – Is our Responsibility

• 45% of stolen vehicles are never recovered.
• Only 13% of car thieves are arrested in big cities.
• 33% of auto theft victims left an ignition key in the vehicle.

Play Video of Chop Shop Underworld

Top Ten States with Most Vehicle Thefts – 2014

1. California –151,852
2. Texas — 68,546
3. Florida — 42,579
4. Washington –30,647
5. Georgia — 26,854
6. Michigan — 21,157
7. Ohio — 18,015
8. Arizona — 17,587
9. Illinois — 17,451
10. Missouri — 16,357

Top Ten States with Fewest Vehicle Thefts – 2014

1. Vermont — 244
2. Wyoming — 603
3. Maine — 799
4. New Hampshire — 857
5. South Dakota — 1,007
6. Delaware — 1,267
7. North Dakota — 1,514
8. Idaho — 1,661
9. Alaska — 1,739
10. Rhode Island — 1,833

Top Ten Stolen Vehicles – 2014

1. Honda Accord
2. Honda Civic
3. Ford Pick-Up Truck
4. Chevy Pick-Up Truck
5. Toyota Camry
6. Dodge Caravan
7. Nissan Altima
8. Acura Integra
9. Nissan Maxima

Top Auto Theft Months

1. July
2. August

Nationwide Auto Theft Rate (100,000 population)

1. West — 216.2
2. South — 210.3
3. Midwest — 181.8
4. Northeast — 104.3

Vehicle Types Stolen Most Often

1. Cars — 74.5%
2. Trucks — 14.9%
3. Motorcycles & Other 10.6%

Highest Risk Cities for Vehicle Theft in US – 2014

1. San Francisco, CA
2. Bakersfield, CA
3. Stockton, CA
4. Odessa, TX
5. Modesto, CA
6. Spokane, WA
7. Vallejo, CA
8. Seattle, WA
9. Fresno, CA
10. San Jose, CA

Auto Theft Prevention Tips (most obvious)

• Reside in the lowest crime zip-code you can afford.
• Avoid big cities on a seaport or near a border with Mexico.
• Park your vehicle inside a locked private garage.
• Avoid owning a car on the top ten most stolen list.
• Avoid flashy wheels, accessories, and high-performance parts.
• Avoid leaving your car in public parking lots for extended periods.
• Buy good insurance with adequate auto theft coverage.

Auto Theft Prevention (next best options)

• Practice safe car parking and auto theft prevention routines.
• Always roll up windows and lock vehicle doors.
• Remove all ignition keys and hidden valet keys.
• Use fee lots for parking with cashier attendant on duty.
• Remove items of value inside the car and in plain sight.
• Lock the car and set a car alarm system every time you park.
• Use mechanical anti-theft devices to deter & delay theft.
• Use a transponder tracking device on high-risk vehicles.
• Remove valuable content and items in plain sight.
• Remove items with home addresses and personal IDs.

Auto Theft Prevention Resources

• FBI Uniform Crime Reports — 2014
• LoJack and OnStar transponder technology
• WikiHow – Best Auto Theft Prevention devices