Hot wheels ;(

[Gość: Icefall]

Hot Wheels of 2002

Toyota Camrys rank No. 1 on the target list of car
thieves, according to separate studies of two
Illinois-based insurance industry organizations, CCC
Information Services Inc. and the National Insurance
Crime Bureau (NICB).

The latest CCC report, covering 2002, found that:

* Toyota and Honda models comprised 20 of the top
25 most-stolen vehicles. The 1989, 1991 and 1992 Toyota
Camry occupied the top three positions. Whereas the
Honda Accord is the most stolen vehicle regardless of
model year.
* Of the four domestic vehicles to make the top 25
list, all are trucks. The 1994 Chevrolet C1500 4X2,
1997 Ford F150 4X2, 2001 Ford F150 4x2 and 1997
Chevrolet C1500 4x2. And, Chevrolet continues to lead
as the most-stolen make regardless of model, comprising
more than 14 percent of total theft volume.
* Minivans and sport utility vehicles continue to
gain the attention of thieves, reflecting their
continued growth in popularity, as 2002 marked a 10
percent increase in thefts since 2000.
* Thefts of full-sized models and "muscle cars,"
like the Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro, continue to
slide, reflecting their fall-off in popularity with
consumers.

The NICB reports that 17 of the top 50 most commonly
stolen vehicles in 2001 were SUVs, pickup trucks and
mini-vans or vans. Topping the list are the Jeep
Cherokee/Grand Cherokee (No. 5 ranking), Chevrolet Full
Size C/K Pickup (6), Ford F150 Series Pickup (10),
Dodge Caravan/Grand Caravan (11), Ford Explorer (16),
Chevrolet Full Size Extended Cab Pickup (22), and the
Plymouth Voyager/Grand Voyager (23).

Here's the NICB rundown on the 10 most commonly stolen
vehicles in the U.S. in 2001: 1) Toyota Camry, 2) Honda
Accord, 3) Honda Civic, 4) Oldsmobile
Cutlass/Supreme/Ciera, 5) Jeep Cherokee/Grand Cherokee,
6) Chevrolet Full Size C/K Pickup, 7) Toyota Corolla,
8) Ford Taurus, 9) Chevrolet Caprice, and 10) Ford F150
Pickup.

Vehicle theft declined in the 1990s because of the
then-booming economy and various other factors,
acknowledges Ed Sparkman, public affairs manager for
NICB, which combats vehicle theft and insurance fraud.

Sparkman indicated that the pattern changed in the new
millennium. In 2000, Sparkman said, vehicle theft went
up 1.2%, followed by a larger increase to 5.7% in 2001.
The vexing trend continues in 2002. Vehicle theft
increased "4.5% in the first six months of 2002",
compared with the first-half results for 2001. "It's a
disturbing trend with no end in sight," noted Sparkman.

Asked for reasons accounting for the vexing car theft
pattern, Sparkman cited various factors such as the
struggling national economy that "triggers such
criminal activities and the post-9/11 redeployment of
law enforcement officers from special auto theft task
forces."

Sparkman mentioned another reason . . . "porous
international borders that are difficult to monitor for
stolen vehicles and that includes seaports and land ports."

The NICB findings hardly come as a shock to Kevin
Kelly, of the California State Automobile Association
(CSAA). Kelly said that many of the names on the list
have been there before because of their popularity with
those who ply that unsavory trade.

"Camrys, Accords, Civics and the like all hold an
allure to thieves for various reasons." One of the more
significant "allures" is the value of the stolen parts
on the black market, said Kelly, CSAA traffic safety
specialist and a 25-year veteran with the California
Highway Patrol.

The NICB study also drew favorable comments from Ben
Hardaway, spokesman for the Consumer Federation of
America, in Washington, D.C. "It's a good idea to do
your homework before buying a car, and part of that
should be to know which vehicles are most likely to be
stolen or broken into. That knowledge should help a
consumer save insurance costs down the road and
hopefully avoid the many other hassles associated with
having your car stolen. This list also puts consumers
and manufacturers alike on notice as to which cars
really need better security protection," says Hardaway.

CCC, a technology provider to the automotive-claims and
collision-repair industry, determines the most-stolen
vehicles each year by analyzing total losses submitted
to it by more than 350 property and casualty insurers
in North America. In 2002, CCC valued an average of
more than 6,400 vehicles a day. It bases its report on
vehicles stolen and deemed a total loss or those never
recovered. CCC doesn't include such temporary
auto-related thefts as "joy-rides" or theft of car
items such as stereos.

"We process nearly a million claims-related
transactions each day, giving us a wealth of theft and
collision data which allows us to provide awareness to
consumers regarding vehicle trends such as theft," said
Mary Jo Prigge, CCC's president of sales and service.