Most Stolen Cars

It's hard to accurately determine which cars are stolen most frequently, since there are three groups that produce contradictory reports.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the most stolen cars in the 2004 model year were:

Number in parentheses is thefts per 1,000 vehicles

1. Dodge Intrepid  (9.83)

2. Toyota Tundra  (9.05)

3. Dodge Stratus  (7.46)

4. Chrysler Sebring  (5.77)

5. Acura NSX  (5.05)

6. Oldsmobile Alero  (4.98)

7. Chevy Malibu   (4.73)

8. Chrysler Concorde  (4.72)

9. Mitsubishi Diamante  (4.59)

10. Subura Impreza  (4.56)

According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, the top ten most stolen vehicles in 2005 were as follows:

1. 1991 Honda Accord

2. 1995 Honda Civic

3. 1989 Toyota Camry

4. 1994 Dodge Caravan

5. 1994 Nissan Sentra

6. 1997 Ford F150 Series

7. 1990 Acura Integra

8. 1986 Toyota Pickup

9. 1993 Saturn SL

10. 2004 Dodge Ram Pickup

This list is kind of misleading because it doesn't say the RATE of car theft. There are a lot of Honda Accords on the road, so lots get stolen, but it doesn't mean they are more likely to be stolen than other cars.

Cities with Highest Rate of Theft - 2006*

Number in parentheses is thefts per 100,000 vehicles

1. Las Vegas/Paradise, NV  (1,310)

2. Stockton, CA  (1,061)

3. Visalia/Porterville, CA  (1,031)

4. Phoenix Area, AZ  (1,023)

5. Modesto, CA  (1,005)

6. Seattle Area, WA  (975)

7. Sacramento Area, CA  (958)

8. Fresno, CA  (953)

9. Yakima, WA  (930)

10. Tuscon, AZ  (920)

It has been said that cars are stolen most frequently near ports and Mexican and Canadian borders. *source: National Insurance Crime Bureau

How to Protect Against Car Theft

About one half of stolen cars are unlocked and 1/5 have the keys inside. Here's a few simple, yet effective ways to prevent car theft:

• Use some form of theft prevention. This can include annoying car alarms, devices that lock the steering wheel and tracking systems. Having these devices will often reduce car insurance premiums.

• Lock your car and take the keys with you. Simple, but it's amazing how many people don't always do this.

• Never leave your car running unless you're sitting in the driver seat. Even if you'll be gone for just a few minutes.

• Do not leave anything visible in the car. Thieves have been known to break into a car simply for the change in the cupholder or a bag in the backseat.

• Consider a stereo with theft protection.

• Park in areas that are well lit with people nearby.