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Hypothetically speaking, if you were a car thief, what kind of car would you prefer to nab? That shiny new Escalade? The zippy little BMW Roadster? How about the environmentally friendly Prius? Did you guess any of those? If so, guess again, because you're wrong on all chassis. But first, some good news: car thefts were down 17 percent in 2009 compared with the year before -- the largest drop in a six-year-long decline, according to the FBI's most recent crime statistics.
And here's how your choice of stolen car affects the bad news: those of us who don't drive Escalades, BMW Roadster and Prius' might be the targets. The National Insurance Crime Bureau recently published its list of the vehicles stolen more than others. And the model topping the list is about as surprising as it unlikely. It's a 1994 Honda Accord. Read down the list to find out the other nine top-stolen cars in the United States.
Top 10 Most-Stolen Cars In 2009
1. Honda Accord ('94)
2. Honda Civic ('95)
3. Toyota Camry ('91)
4. Ford F-150 Pickup ('97)
5. Dodge Ram Pickup ('04)
6. Dodge Caravan ('00)
7. Chevrolet Pickup (Full Size) ('94)
8. Acura Integra ('94)
9. Ford Explorer ('02)
10. Toyota Corolla ('09)
Toyotas and Hondas make multiple appearances on the list just because they are so popular. There is, therefore, always a market for their parts. For thieves, the money is in the car parts, which they sell after "processing" the vehicle through a chop shop.
If you own one of these sought after vehicles, don't despair. Devices such as Lo-Jack have been proven effective in reuniting vehicles with owners. The downside? They can cost almost as much as one of the cars you're trying to protect. Still, it's cheaper than a BMW Roadster.
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