NICB’s Hot Wheels: America’s 10 Most Stolen Vehicles

Imports and Pickups Still Dominate

PR Newswire, DES PLAINES, Ill., August 1, 2016
The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) today released its annual Hot Wheels report which identifies the 10 most stolen vehicles in the United States. The report examines vehicle theft data submitted by law enforcement to the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) and determines the vehicle make, model and model year most reported stolen in 2015.

Included with today’s release is a list of the top 25 2015 vehicle makes and models that were reported stolen in calendar year 2015.

For 2015, the most stolen vehicles* in the nation were (total thefts in parentheses):

1.  1996 Honda Accord(52,244)
2.  1998 Honda Civic(49,430)
3.  2006 Ford Pickup (Full Size)(29,396)
4.  2004 Chevrolet Pickup (Full Size)(27,771)
5.  2014 Toyota Camry(15,466)
6.  2001 Dodge Pickup (Full Size)(11,212)
7.  2014 Toyota Corolla(10,547)
8.  2015 Nissan Altima(10,374)
9.  2002 Dodge Caravan(9,798)
10. 2008 Chevrolet Impala(9,225)

See the national report here.  Download the 50-state report here. See the video here and an infographic here.

The following are the top 10 2015 model year vehicles stolen during calendar year 2015:

1. Nissan Altima(1,104)
2. Chrysler 200 (1,069)
3. Toyota Camry(923)
4. Toyota Corolla (776)
5. GMC Sierra (670)
6. Dodge Charger(666)
7. Hyundai Sonata(632)
8. Chevrolet Malibu(629)
9. Chevrolet Impala(594)
10. Chevrolet Cruze(586)

Download the complete list of 2015’s top 25 most stolen from this spreadsheet.

“While older vehicles still dominate our Hot Wheels most stolen list, the number of late model vehicles with anti-theft protection on the list goes to show that technology isn’t foolproof,” said NICB President and CEO Joe Wehrle. “Criminals are doing their best to defeat anti-theft technology through hacking and other means while, at the same time, manufacturers and others are working to improve security.

“Far too often, drivers leave their vehicles unlocked or with the keys inside, making it way too easy for an opportunistic thief. And as we noted recently, many stolen cars are not reported as typical thefts to police because many of today’s thefts are financial crimes involving complicated VIN switching, cloning, straw buyers, illegal exports and other sophisticated criminal methods.”

Vehicle theft is a severe economic hardship for its victims—especially if a vehicle is uninsured. That is why NICB continues to advise all drivers to review our four “Layers of Protection”:  

America’s 10 most stolen vehicles in 2015 released by @insurancecrime #HotWheels

  • Common Sense:  Lock your car and take your keys.  It’s simple enough, but many thefts occur because owners make it easy for thieves to steal their cars.
  • Warning Device:  Having and using a visible or audible warning device is another item that can ensure that your car remains where you left it.
  • Immobilizing Device:  Generally speaking, if your vehicle can’t be started, it can’t be stolen. “Kill” switches, fuel cut-offs and smart keys are among the devices that are extremely effective.
  • Tracking Device:  A tracking device emits a signal to the police or to a monitoring station when the vehicle is stolen.  Tracking devices are very effective in helping authorities recover stolen vehicles.  Some systems employ “telematics,” which combine GPS and wireless technologies to allow remote monitoring of a vehicle.  If the vehicle is moved, the system will alert the owner and the vehicle can be tracked via computer.

Considering a used vehicle purchase? Check out VINCheckSM, a free vehicle history service for consumers.  Since 2005, NICB has offered this limited service made possible by its participating member companies.  Check it out at: www.nicb.org/vincheck.

*This report reflects stolen vehicle data contained in NCIC and present in the “NCIC mirror image” when accessed by NICB on March 5, 2016. NCIC records may contain errors based on inaccurate entries submitted by reporting agencies. Full size pickups include half ton and larger capacity models for all makes. Total thefts is the aggregate for each make/model with model year indicating the most stolen model year of all model years for each listing.

Anyone with information concerning insurance fraud or vehicle theft can report it anonymously by calling toll-free 800-TEL-NICB (800-835-6422), texting keyword “fraud” to TIP411 (847411) or submitting a form on our website. Or, download the NICB Fraud Tips app on your iPhone or Android device.

About the National Insurance Crime Bureau:Headquartered in Des Plaines, Ill., the NICB is the nation’s leading not-for-profit organization exclusively dedicated to preventing, detecting and defeating insurance fraud and vehicle theft through data analytics, investigations, training, legislative advocacy and public awareness. The NICB is supported by more than 1,100 property and casualty insurance companies and self-insured organizations. NICB member companies wrote over $413 billion in insurance premiums in 2015, or more than 79 percent of the nation’s property/casualty insurance. That includes more than 94 percent ($187 billion) of the nation’s personal auto insurance. To learn more visit www.nicb.org.

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