Cheap Auto Insurance :Car Theft Statistics 2011

February 10th, 2012 | Posted by admin | Category: Auto Insurance | No Comments

Article Summary:

Article Content:
The FBI Uniform Crime Report shows national statistics for all types of crimes in a given year. Recently the report has indicated a trend toward fewer vehicle thefts than in past years. This may be due to improved anti theft systems on newer model cars which make them more difficult to steal. The most popular cars for theft are 1990 to 1995 model Hondas and Toyotas. These cars are usually exported from the country and stripped for parts which can be resold.

Areas Reporting the Highest Number of Thefts

In 2010 there were 737,142 reported car thefts in the United States. These figures include attempted car thefts and the average rate was 238.8 thefts per 100,000 residents. 40% of all car thefts occurred in port and border cities especially cities near the U.S. Mexico border. According to Forbes magazine, four of the top five cities are located in California and include Modesto, San Diego, Stockton and San Francisco. Las Vegas, NV rounds out the top five in second place.

Older Model Cars are Targets

Of the top 10 most stolen cars, only two were manufactured after 2000. They are the 2004 Dodge Ram Pickup and the 2007 Toyota Corolla. The 1995 Honda Civic and the 1991 Hond Accord are the most popular targets for thieves and the 1994 Accura Integra is the only luxury model to make the list. Older cars are less likely to have effective security systems like Lojack or immobilizing devices which makes them easier targets and reduces the theives’ risk of being caught by police.

Carjacking Is a Federal Crime

While auto theft is usually handled by local police departments, carjacking was made a federal crime in 1992 following the shooting death of a young Detroit woman who was forced off the road and had her car stolen. Carjacking is now investigated by the FBI, but reliable statistics for this crime are not available since the FBI does not separate car theft and carjacking statistics. The Bureau of Justice statistics show about 49,000 carjackings per year between 1992 and 1996.

Preventing Car Theft

The most effective deterrent to auto theft is the immobilizer which is found on most late model Ford and GM vehicles. A computer chip is contained in the car key and the car will not start without the proper key. Lo jack is available on most late model cars and tracks stolen vehicles providing law enforcement with GPS coordinates for a vehicle’s location. Steering wheel locks, brake locks and audible alarms will deter amateur car thieves, but professionals can disable these devices.

The crime of car theft has been declining in the United States over the last 10 years, due to better auto security systems and increased efforts on the part of law enforcement agencies to apprehend car thieves. It is expected that the number of car thefts will continue to decline in 2011 as fewer older cars are available to thieves and new car security systems make successful thefts more difficult.

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