New Report Finds 2000 Honda Civic Is Most Frequently Stolen Car In New York State

ALBANY, N.Y., Aug. 4, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The New York Insurance Association said the 2000 Honda Civic is again the most frequently stolen vehicle in New York State.

The Hot Wheels 2011 study released by the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) examines data reported to the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) and determines the vehicle make, model, and model year most reported stolen in 2010.  

The study found that the 2000 Honda Civic topped the list of the most frequently stolen vehicles in New York State for the fourth year in a row.

In 2010, the most stolen vehicles* in New York State were:

1. 2000 Honda Civic      
2. 1994 Honda Accord      
3. 1991 Toyota Camry      
4. 1996 Nissan Maxima      
5. 2000 Dodge Caravan      
6. 2005 Nissan Altima        
7. 2009 Toyota Corolla      
8. 2009 Ford Econoline E350      
9. 2002 Ford Explorer      
10. 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee      

The most stolen vehicles* in the nation in 2010 were:

1. 1994 Honda Accord                                  
2. 1995 Honda Civic                                          
3. 1991 Toyota Camry
4. 1999 Chevrolet Pickup (Full Size)
5. 1997 Ford 150 Series/Pickup
6. 2004 Dodge Ram
7. 2000 Dodge Caravan
8. 1994 Acura Integra
9. 2002 Ford Explorer
10. 1999 Ford Taurus

"Auto theft continues to decline in New York State," Ellen Melchionni, president of NYIA said. "But drivers still need to take prudent steps to prevent their vehicle from being stolen."

NYIA and the NICB recommend a "layered approach" to auto theft prevention by employing simple, low-cost suggestions to make vehicles less attractive to thieves. The four layers of protection are:

Common Sense:  Lock your car and take your keys. It's simple enough, but many thefts occur because owners make it easy for thieves to steal their cars.

Warning Device:  Having and using a visible or audible warning device also can help ensure that your car remains where you left it.

Immobilizing Device:  Generally speaking, if your car won't start, it won't get stolen. "Kill" switches, fuel cut-offs, and smart keys are among the devices that are extremely effective.  

Tracking Device:  A tracking device emits a signal to the police or to a monitoring station when the vehicle is stolen. Tracking devices are effective in helping authorities recover stolen vehicles. Some systems employ "telematics," which combine GPS and wireless technologies to allow remote monitoring of the vehicle. If the vehicle is moved the system will alert the owner and the vehicle can be tracked by computer.  

The National Insurance Crime Bureau is the nation's leading not-for-profit organization exclusively dedicated to preventing, detecting and defeating insurance fraud and vehicle theft through information analysis, investigations, training and public awareness. Anyone with information concerning auto theft and insurance fraud can report it anonymously by calling toll-free 1-800-TEL-NICB (1-800-835-6422). For complete information on Hot Wheels 2011, visit www.nicb.org.

The New York Insurance Association (NYIA®) is a state trade association that has represented the property and casualty insurance industry for more than 125 years. For more information on NYIA, visit www.nyia.org.

*This report only reflects stolen vehicle data reported to NCIC in 2010. No further filtering of information is conducted, i.e., determining the total number of a particular make and model currently registered in the U.S. for comparison purposes.  

SOURCE New York Insurance Association