Older cars a target for thieves: IBC study

Car thieves are increasingly targeting older vehicles, says a new study from the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC).The IBC commissioned the study after collecting annual statistics from insurers in 2002 which reported more older cars being stolen than new ones. Data between 1993 and 2001 reveal that the average age of stolen vehicles rose from five to seven years.Over the same period, the rate of new cars being stolen dropped, from 2% to less than 1%. The rate of older cars, specifically those eight years or older, remained constant around 1.5%, where it stood in 2000.”They study results are extremely important because they demonstrate that no one is exempt from becoming a victim of auto theft including owners of older model cars who may not realize their vehicles are being targeted by thieves,” says Rick Dubin, vice president of the IBC’s Investigative Services Division.Older vehicles are also costing insurers more, the study results suggest. The IBC hopes the data indicates that its push to have anti-theft installed in new vehicles as standard equipment by manufacturers is working to reduce theft. “While this initiative has allowed society to become increasingly proficient at preventing the theft of new vehicles, we need to address the increase in the number of older vehicles being stolen.” The IBC will now launch a public awareness campaign aimed at squelching the myth that older vehicles are not theft targets. “The first step in that process is becoming more aware of how we can protect our vehicles: increased vigilance, installation of approved auto theft deterrent systems, and marking vehicle parts to make it more difficult for thieves to sell the parts to chop shops,” Dubin says.