“Every 40 seconds a car is stolen,” says Dustyn Shroff, Vice President of GreatFlorida Insurance, Florida’s largest independent auto insurance agency. The Insurance Information Institute (III) reports about $6.4 billion was lost to motor vehicle theft in 2019.
According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau’s (NICB) latest “Hot Wheels” report, car thieves have a new favorite target, a Ford Pickup.
The report examines vehicle theft data submitted by law enforcement to the National Crime Information Center (NCIC). They determine the vehicle make, model and model year most reported stolen in 2019.
Rank Vehicle Thefts Vehicle Year Stolen
1 Ford Pickup (Full size) 38,938 2006
2 Honda Civic 33,220 2000
3 Chevrolet Pickup (Full size) 32,583 2004
4 Honda Accord 30,745 1997
5 Toyota Camry 15,656 2007
6 Nissan Altima 13,355 2015
7 Toyota Corolla 12,137 2018
8 Dodge Pickup (Full size) 11,292 2001
9 GMC Pickup (Full size) 11,164 2018
10 Honda CR-V 10,094 2001
Florida ranked third in states with most vehicles stolen in 2019, according to III. They include the following:
Rank Vehicle Thefts Vehicle Year Stolen
1 Ford Pickup (Full size) 2,383 2006
2 Nissan Altima 1,171 2018
3 Toyota Camry 1,027 2019
4 Honda Accord 966 2018
5 Toyota Corolla 963 2019
6 Honda Civic 824 2016
7 Chevrolet Pickup (Full size) 817 2018
8 Hyundai Sonata 547 2013
9 Hyundai Elantra 521 2017
10 Nissan Sentra 470 2019
“Many car thefts can be prevented with a common sense approach,” says Dustyn Shroff, Vice President of GreatFlorida Insurance, Florida’s top independent auto insurance agency. Removing your keys from the ignition, locking car doors and windows as well as parking in a well-lit area can reduce the chance of your vehicle being taken.
The next level of protection will include an investment. These would be audible or visible warning devices. Popular warning devices include, audible alarms, theft deterrent decals, and steering wheel locks.
Immobilizing devices prevent thieves from bypassing your ignition and hot-wiring the vehicle. They include devices such as, smart keys and kill switches. Finally, there are tracking devices. Tracking devices combine GPS and wireless technologies allowing remote monitoring of a vehicle.
Make sure you have comprehensive auto insurance, so your car can be replaced if stolen. GreatFlorida Insurance agents can answer any questions you have regarding the right car insurance, contact us today.
