4 Reasons Why Some Cars Are More Likely To Be Stolen

For the average American, cars represent many things, like freedom, mobility, and the dream. Because of this, it can cause a lot of stress and frustration when it is stolen. Unfortunately, this happens more often than you think. "Approximately one motor vehicle is stolen every 32 seconds, which adds up to more than one million vehicles stolen last year," said David J. Glawe, President and CEO of the National Insurance Crime Bureau (via its website).

Additionally, when a vehicle is stolen, claims for the theft and its accompanying damages will depend on your insurance coverage. Unfortunately, the cash value payout may not even be enough to cover the outstanding loan or lease balance. Depending on the vehicle's condition, your insurance company may even place a salvage title on your car, which could affect its resale value. Not to mention, there's a chance that you'll be paying higher insurance premiums in the future after substantial claims.

Typically, when vehicles are stolen, thieves do one of three things: use them, sell them, or take them apart to sell their parts. Here's why and how to know if your car is at higher risk of being stolen than other vehicles.

While many people would assume that the fanciest or the latest vehicle models would attract thieves more often, the reality is that older and more practical cars actually rank much higher on the list.

In 2022, the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) shared that the top two stolen vehicles by quantity in the United States are actually full-sized pickups, which were surprisingly released almost two decades ago. In its report of the top 10 most stolen vehicles, the Ford pickup (2006) and Chevrolet pickup (2004) trucks topped the list for the highest recorded theft rate. But why? Well, there are a few interesting reasons, but at the top of that list is utility.

In many ways, thieves usually use stolen cars to commit other crimes. When thinking of an ideal getaway car, trucks make a good bet because of their versatility. After all, thieves need a variety of tools, such as cutting tools or saws, which they'll need to transport when they're in the middle of a heist.

Because pickups are commonly used for legitimate needs, they can be used to haul things in and out of crime scenes without raising suspicion. Their powerful horsepower and torque can also haul heavier loads, and of course, they are great for driving long distances, including tough terrain.

And if they do decide to sell their stolen pickups, there's a good chance they can. By 2030, Skyquest estimates that the global used truck market could potentially be worth a whopping $56.86 billion.

Although it's common for people to know that things like mileage or scratches affect a car's resale value, recent studies have revealed that your car's paint color can impact its resale value by as much as $5,000 for the same make, year, and model. 

The 2023 iSeeCars study revealed that yellow was a great color to combat depreciation across car models, topping the list for the lowest amount of depreciation for coupes, convertibles, and SUVs. Although, for off-road trucks, more muted colors like beige and tan take the cake for those that hold up their value.

Unfortunately, while this news is great for car owners hoping to sell their cars in the future, it also means that cars with these colors can be targeted by thieves more. So, if you have no plans to sell your car anyway, you may want to paint it a color that fewer people want to buy. For example, you could paint it gold, which the study said lost 25.9% of its value over three years. 

Surprisingly, common colors like black, white, and silver ranked pretty low on the list. "Many consumers and dealers likely consider these colors 'safe' in terms of widespread acceptance, but they're too common to help a car hold its value," said iSeeCars executive analyst Karl Brauer.

While the technology for color-changing cars is still in the works, you may want to think twice about choosing popular car colors for your next vehicle.

Have you ever watched a movie where the thieves "hot-wired" a car they found parked at the side of a street and ran off with it? Hot wiring is when you start a car engine without needing a key, which is done by manipulating the ignition system wires found on a car's steering wheel column.

These days, this technique doesn't work anymore for many car models because many have started using immobilizer technology. Without the right key in the ignition, immobilizer technology prevents thieves from starting the engine.

Unfortunately, unlike other countries like Canada, which declared that all passenger vehicles sold in Canada required an engine immobilizer in 2007, the United States has not mandated anything similar. Because of this, it's unsurprising that several of the top stolen vehicles in the United States are car models that don't have them.

In 2023, a viral TikTok challenge wherein car thieves targeted Hyundai and Kia vehicles without engine mobilizers led to a 2,500% increase in theft, according to WISN. Despite Hyundai and Kia releasing a software update to help mitigate the issues, the damage has already been done, with many insurance companies still refusing to cover these models.

Among car parts, catalytic converters are some of the most expensive ones out there that thieves like to steal. In 2022, the San Jose Spotlight shared that there was a 288% increase in catalytic converter thefts compared to the year before.

But what makes them so expensive? It's likely the precious metals inside them, like rhodium, platinum, and palladium. While the prices for these precious metals fluctuate with time, they can still fetch a pretty penny. For example, Strategic Metals Invest says that rhodium's price per gram is $155.11 in March 2024, which can probably still turn more than a few heads. In fact, due to its precious metal composition, scrap catalytic converters can cost over $1,000.

Because of their higher ground clearance, trucks are at higher risk of having their catalytic converters taken from underneath them. Unlike smaller cars, truck catalytic converters are more accessible because thieves can easily slide underneath and swipe them. In the same vein, the Chevrolet Equinox and Honda CR-V also top the lists of vehicles at risk of catalytic converter theft among SUVs. Hybrid cars are also a likely target for catalytic converter theft because its powertrain requires relatively more precious metals to run cooler.

In addition to the catalytic converter, thieves are likely to target other expensive car parts, such as rims, airbags, GPS systems, batteries, and license plates.

If you're in the market for a new car, consider these reasons for your next vehicle so you can opt for less tempting models in the future. But if you already own a car with qualities on this list, there are many additional things you can do to keep it safe from thieves. Aside from updating its cosmetics, like changing the color, you can also practice good parking and driving safety practices.

For example, when given the chance, opt to park strategically in closed and paid garages, keep your doors and windows locked, and never leave your keys in the car. You may also want to stay updated on any critical manufacturer software updates and invest in anti-theft devices, like steering wheel locks and remote battery skill switches, for some added peace of mind.

If you do find yourself a victim of car theft, there's still hope. To increase your odds of your stolen car being returned, it is recommended that you report the theft as soon as possible. If reported stolen in the first 24 hours, the NICB claims that passenger vehicles had a 34% same-day recovery rate.