CHARLOTTE ó The 1996 Honda Accord was the most stolen vehicle in the state of North Carolina, according to The Hot Wheels 2009 study released today by the National Insurance Crime Bureau.
The study shows that North Carolina automobile thieves are targeting a wide range of vehicles, including domestic and foreign cars and trucks. Certain models of older cars and trucks are popular with thieves because of the value of their parts.
According to the NICB, the parts can be stripped from a car at a chop shop and sold for at least twice as much as the value of the vehicle on the used car market. Newer model vehicles are typically more difficult to steal due to anti-theft technology.
Hot Wheels, the NICB’s companion study to its annual Hot Spots auto theft report, examines data reported to the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) and determines the vehicle make, model and model year most reported stolen in 2008. See the full report at www.nicb.org.
The most commonly stolen vehicles in North Carolina for 2008:
1. 1996 Honda Accord
2. 1995 Honda Civic
3. 2004 Ford F150 Series Pickup Truck
4. 2003 Ford Explorer
5. 1999 Ford Taurus
6. 1995 Jeep Cherokee/Grand Cherokee
7. 1999 Dodge Caravan
8. 1997 Nissan Altima
9. 2001 Dodge Ram Pickup
10. 1994 Ford Ranger
In comparison, the nation’s most stolen vehicles in 2008:
1. 1994 Honda Accord
2. 1995 Honda Civic
3. 1989 Toyota Camry
4. 1997 Ford F150 Series
5. 2004 Dodge Ram Pickup
6. 2000 Dodge Caravan
7. 1996 Jeep Cherokee/Grand Cherokee
8. 1994 Acura Integra
9. 1999 Ford Taurus
10. 2002 Ford Explorer
Here are some tips from NCIB:
– Take your keys. One out of every five vehicles stolen had the keys in it.
– Lock your car. Almost half of all vehicles stolen were left unlocked.
– Don’t hide a second set of keys in your car. Extra keys can easily be found if a thief takes time to look.
– Park in well-lighted areas.
– Park in attended lots. Auto thieves do not like witnesses and prefer unattended parking lots.
– Only give ignition/door key to parking attendant. If your trunk and glove box use the same key as the door, have one of them changed. Don’t give the attendant easy access to your glove box and trunk. Upon returning, check the tires, spare and battery to insure they are the same as those you had when you parked.
– Don’t leave your car running unattended. Vehicles are commonly stolen at convenience stores, gas stations, ATMs, etc. Many vehicles are also stolen on cold mornings when the owner leaves the vehicle running to warm up.
– Completely close car windows when parking. Don’t make it any easier for the thief to enter your vehicle.
– Hide your valuables. Don’t make your car a more desirable target for thieves by leaving valuables in plain sight.