Sedans luring thieves: Crime Bureau

Thieves are targeting sedans, including older model vehicles, for parts, says a new report by the U.S. National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB).The non-profit organization, which was established to fight vehicle theft and insurance fraud, looked at the most stolen vehicles in 2002. Two sedans, the 1989 Toyota Camry and the 1994 Honda Accord topped the list, with the NICB noting that thieves are particularly interested in obtaining parts from these vehicles to sell on the black market.”These vehicles are most often taken for their parts which are no longer manufactured and are too difficult or expensive to obtain,” says Robert Bryant, president and CEO of the NICB. “The individual car components are in high demand with ‘tuners’ or street racers.”As well, vehicles are stolen for export to Central and South America or Europe.Rounding out the “top ten” most stolen vehicles were Honda Civic, Chevy C/K pickup, Ford full-size pickup, Jeep Cherokee and Grand Cherokee, Oldsmobile sedans, Dodge Caravan and Ford Taurus. The only new (2001) model to make the list was the Toyota Corolla, which placed 10th.Overall, 1.2 million vehicle thefts were reported in 2002, according to FBI data, with an estimated value of US$8.2 billion. While theft rates had been on the decline, 2002 marks the third year in a row the problem increased.As older vehicles are often not equipped with anti-theft devices, the NICB urges motorists to use common sense in protecting their vehicles. This includes locking the doors, closing windows, hiding valuables and taking the keys out of the ignition. Aftermarket anti-theft tools can also be used, such as steering wheel locks, alarms, fuel disablers or tracking devices.