If you have a car more than 10 years old, you may think that it is too old for thieves to bother with.
That would be a big mistake. The annual “Hot Wheels” list of most-stolen cars released today shows models from the 1990s as the biggest target.
The National Insurance Crime Bureau compiled the list of cars stolen most often in 2010 from FBI data. The 1994 Honda Accord, the 1995 Honda Civic and the 1991 Toyota Camry are the top three. Pickups of slightly more recent vintage from Ford, Chevrolet and Dodge (like the 2004 Dodge Ram, at left) also made the list; the Detroit brands held six of the top 10 spots. (Keep reading to see the full list.)
Why do old cars top the list? They are easier to steal, and chop-shop thieves can turn them into parts worth more than the car itself. In a slow economy, people are keeping their cars longer and demand for replacement parts is strong. And the Hondas and Toyota Camry atop the list are durable models that sold strongly year after year — creating a solid aftermarket for replacement parts.
The NICB, a nonprofit group supported by the auto industry, offers a quick lesson in chop-shop economics. A car like the 1994 Honda Accord (at right) is worth about $1,900 if bought from a private seller, according to Kelley Blue Book. But parts harvested from that car can be worth as much as $5,000, says Frank Scafidi, the NICB’s public affairs director. Cars from the 1990s also had fewer factory-installed anti-theft devices and thus are easier to steal, Scafidi adds.
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