The 10 most-stolen cars in Massachusetts (and the U.S.)
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Older cars continue to be a favorite target of car thieves, according to an annual report that tracks vehicle theft data.
On Monday, the National Insurance Crime Bureau released its annual “Hot Wheels’’ report, revealing the 10 most stolen vehicles across the United States. The report also included the most stolen vehicles in each state.
Nationwide, the most frequently stolen car was the 1996 Honda Accord, with 52,244 thefts reported in 2015. Another older Honda, the 1998 Civic, was close behind with 49,430 thefts.
Car thieves tend to target older vehicles because they are more easily available, have less sophisticated security systems in place and have demonstrated strong reliability, a factor that makes them prime targets for chop shops.
Of course, newer car models were not entirely safe from thieves last year, according to NICB’s findings. The most stolen 2015 model year cars were the Nissan Altima, Chrysler 200, Toyota Camry, Toyota Corolla, GMC Sierra, Dodge Charger, Hyundai Sonata, Chevrolet Malibu, Chevrolet Impala and Chevrolet Cruze.
Car thefts in Massachusetts largely mirrored national trends, but local thieves were slightly more likely to steal an older Honda Civic than an Accord. NICB found the 2000 Honda Civic was the most-stolen car last year with 426 thefts reported, while the 1997 Accord saw 402 thefts.
Full-size Chevrolet pickups from the 2015 model year were the most popular newer vehicle targeted by Massachusetts criminals, with 95 thefts last year.
See the most stolen vehicles in Massachusetts in 2015
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“While older vehicles still dominate our Hot Wheels most stolen list, the number of late model vehicles with anti-theft protection on the list goes to show that technology isn’t foolproof,’’ said NICB president and CEO Joe Wehrle in a statement. “Criminals are doing their best to defeat anti-theft technology through hacking and other means while, at the same time, manufacturers and others are working to improve security.’’
NICB also recommends vehicle owners follow the company’s “layers of protection’’ to keep their cars safe. This includes “common sense’’ measures like locking the car and taking the keys, using a visible and audible warning device, and taking steps to insure that if a car is stolen it can either be located with a tracking system or shut off by an immobilizing device.
“Far too often, drivers leave their vehicles unlocked or with the keys inside, making it way too easy for an opportunistic thief,’’ said Wherle.
He also warns that as vehicles become more technologically sophisticated, so do the nature of auto crimes.
“And as we noted recently, many stolen cars are not reported as typical thefts to police because many of today’s thefts are financial crimes involving complicated VIN switching, cloning, straw buyers, illegal exports and other sophisticated criminal methods,’’ he said.
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