According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, approximately 1,235,226 motor vehicles were stolen during 2005 (statistics for 2006 are not yet available). Approximately 13% of these cases are actually ever solved.

Types of Cars Stolen

Interestingly, older cars are stolen more often than newer cars. Reasons for this include the demands for aftermarket parts for older vehicles and the fact that there are simply larger numbers of older cars on the road than new cars.  According to CCC Information Services and MSN, the following cars were among the top cars stolen during 2005:

1.  2001 BMW M Roadster
2. 1998 Acura Integra
3. 2004 Mercury Marauder
4. 1999 Acura Integra
5. 1995 Acura Integra
6. 2002 Audi S4
7. 1996 Acura Integra
8. 1997 Acura Integra
9. 2001 Acura Integra
10. 2000 Jaguar XJR

According to Forbes Cars, the top luxury vehicles with model years between 2002-2004 and an original manufacturer suggested retail price (MSRP) of a minimum of $30,000 that were stolen include:

1. Cadillac Escalade
2. Hummer H2
3. BMW 7L Series
4. Honda S2000 Convertible
5. Lincoln Navigator
6. Chevrolet Avalanche
7. Mercedes-Benz S-Class
8. Chevrolet Corvette
9. Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
10. BMW X5

Reasons for Stealing Cars

Cars are stolen for a number of different reasons. Among teens and young adults, joyriding is a prevailing motivation to steal; although, recently, law enforcement has found an alarming trend in cars initially stolen for joyriding later traded for drugs. Sometimes a car is stolen to sell "as is," although cars are more often than not stolen for parts. Some thieves steal cars simply to use for personal transportation for whatever period of time that they deem safe. They will then abandon or sell the autos. Cars are sometimes stolen so that the owners can commit insurance fraud. Another reason cars are stolen is for use during the perpetrating of yet other crimes.

Preventing Car Theft

A bit of common sense will help prevent having your car stolen, particularly by amateurs.  First, make sure that you always lock your car, even if you are parking it in your garage.  Make sure that any valuables that you need to leave in your car are hidden where they cannot be seen. Always try to park in well-lit areas during the evening hours where there is a lot of foot traffic. When driving, make sure that there is plenty of space between your car and the auto in front of you so that you have maneuverability if someone suspicious approaches your car. You might also want to consider installing an anti-theft device in your vehicle, such as an ignition kill switch, tracking devices, steering wheel locks, or a fuel pump kill switch.