Published: July 18, 2008 11:35 am         

'95 Honda tops stolen car list

How likely are you to be the target of a car thief?

Some of the most often stolen vehicles are not fast convertibles, luxury SUVs or customized 4-wheel drive pickup trucks.

They are the long-lasting, durable cars of the past.

This year, the 1995 Honda Civic was the number one car targeted by thieves according to a report released by the National Insurance Crime Bureau.

Cpt. Jim Bleything, an investigator with the Gainesville Police Department, said there is a good reason why thieves seek out older cars.

“A lot of cars are stolen by organized groups of thieves who take orders for certain cars. Of the older ones that are being stolen —if you look back during the years they were made — those were some of the number one selling cars. They were a popular car when they were new and now they are wearing out and in need of parts,” he said.

Many of these cars end up being shipped to other countries such as Mexico.

Bleything noted that auto theft actually appears to be declining.

“Safety systems built into cars have a lot to do with that,” he said.

He said Honda cars and Ford pickups generally appear on the list every year.

This year, the 1997 Ford F-150 pickup truck was the highest ranking domestic vehicle stolen.

The NICB encourages drivers to take a “layered approach” to auto theft protection by using simple, low-cost suggestions to make vehicles less attractive to thieves. The four layers include common sense, a warning device, an immobilizing device, and a tracking device.

Bleything said all cars are vulnerable to theft, especially those who target cars for their parts.

“It’s a big business. All cars need parts,” he said.

Although it may be hard to believe, Bleything said some people still leave their keys in their cars and their vehicle motors running.

“One of the simplest things you can do to avoid becoming a victim of auto theft is don’t leave your car running unattended. Don’t leave the keys in the car,” he said.

Other tips include rolling up the windows and locking the car and either removing visible valuables from the vehicle or locking them in the trunk, he said.

He said it’s a good idea to try to park in well-lighted areas. Isolated, dark parking lots are an invitation to car thieves.

He said mechanical steering wheel devices that lock the wheel also help as do alarm systems.

Another device, an alternate kill switch, is also effective but Bleything said there are caveats to the kill switch.

Installing the device without extensive knowledge of auto electronic systems could lead to problems, he noted.

“Check with a dealer before installing any such device,” he said.

The NICB study is based on information reported to the National Crime Information Center.

The following is a list of the 10 most stolen vehicles as reported by the NICB — the number in parentheses is the model year most stolen:

• Honda Civic (1995)

• Honda Accord (1991)

• Toyota Camry (1989)

• Ford F-150 (1997)

• Chevrolet C/K 1500 (1994)

• Acura Integra (1994)

• Dodge Ram Pickup (2004)

• Nissan Sentra (1994)

• Toyota Pickup (1988)

• Toyota Corolla (2007)