Hot wheels

 

Do you love your 1994 Honda Accord? So do car thieves.

According to a report released this month by the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), the 1994 Accord is the most-stolen vehicle in America. That’s closely followed by the 1998 Honda Civic and 2006 Ford Pickup. The Hot Wheels report examines theft data without regard to the automobile’s insurance status.

While general auto theft is on the decline, there is an increasing trend toward thefts in newer vehicles, NICB Presidnet Joe Wehrle said.

“Today’s vehicle thieves are typically professional criminals who have figured out how to get the key code for a specific vehicle, have a replacement key made, and steal the vehicle within a matter of days.”

In Missouri, the 2006 Ford Pickup was the most popular car for thieves while the 1995 Honda Accord topped the list in Kansas. For full lists in your state, click here.

So now that I have caused a full-out panic attack in you Accord owners, here are some common sense tips to keep your car in your driveway and not in a chop shop:

1. 1. Lock your car, and don’t leave your keys in it. Statistics show that up to 50% of car thefts are a result of driver error (like leaving your cars in the ignition with a flashing sign that says “STEAL ME”).
2. 2. Don’t leave your vehicle running without you in it, no matter what the temperature is outside.
3. 3. Hide your valuables (like the GPS you always leave stuck to your windshield).
4. 4. Don’t leave your car title in your car. No reason to give proof of ownership to someone who didn’t have to pay all those months of car payments.
5. 5. Feeling really paranoid? Buy a tracking device for your car so you can make sure it’s home by curfew. (Also a nifty gadget to help track teens who have borrowed you car to “go to a movie.”)

Has your car ever been broken into or stolen? What are your best tricks for keeping away thieves? 

 

LWTK’s mommy blogger, Sarah, is attempting to be a good mama to little Henry, wife to Shea, full-time employee and part-time grad student all while avoiding making dinner from a box every night. In her non-existent free time, she’s running, eating popcorn and blogging about it all at The Gatsby Diaries.