Camrys, Caddys and Civics--good-bye: Mainstream cars top stolen-vehicle report

Look out Honda and Toyota owners, your mainstream cars are hot targets for car thieves, according to LoJack's annual report.

Apparently the high gasoline prices have hit everyone, including car thieves. Honda topped the list of recovered stolen vehicles, with the fuel-efficient 2000 Honda Civic being nabbed the most often for the second year in a row. General Motors vehicles were the most recovered domestic vehicles, with the flashy Cadillac Escalade at No. 5.

Of the 10,649 vehicles stolen last year, only 57 percent were recovered, according to the FBI's latest statistics. That leaves almost half of the stolen-car population still on the streets, or in the chop shops, or as burned-out hulking masses in desolate areas.

Of the newer cars (those less than five years old), the Toyota Camry takes the top two spots with the 2007 and 2009 model. The 2006 Chevrolet Silverado is next, while the 2007 Escalade and the 2006 Ford F-250 round out the top five.

When broken down by state, it's California that has the most cars gone in 60 seconds, followed by Texas, where even the car thieves are bigger; Florida, orange cars mostly, and finally New York, where they insult you in a Brooklyn accent while taking your car.

The full press release is below:

LoJack Releases Second Annual Vehicle Theft Recovery Report

National Stolen Vehicle Recovery Rate Hits Lowest Point in 25 Years, While LoJack Maintains Standout Recovery Rate

WESTWOOD, Mass., April 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- LoJack Corporation (NASDAQ: LOJN) today released its second annual Vehicle Theft Recovery Report, highlighting results from its 2010 recoveries that provide valuable information on the ongoing issue of vehicle theft. In 2010, the LoJack Stolen Vehicle Recovery System helped law enforcement recover 10,649 stolen vehicles*. Hondas topped the list of imports, with the 2000 Honda Civic ranking as LoJack's most stolen vehicle recovered. GMs were the most recovered domestic vehicles. While the FBI's latest Uniform Crime Report indicated that the national recovery rate of stolen vehicles has hit a 25-year low of nearly 57 percent, 90 percent of LoJack-equipped vehicles that were reported stolen in 2010 were recovered.

"This year's report underscores the continuation of a critical trend regarding the recovery rates of stolen vehicles," said Patrick Clancy, Vice President of Law Enforcement, LoJack Corporation. "Across the country, an astounding 43.2 percent of stolen vehicles were not recovered. What this tells us is that today's sophisticated thieves are getting around different means of protection-including smart keys-and getting away with theft. To protect cars today, it takes a stolen vehicle recovery system like LoJack's that is covert, so that thieves cannot easily find and disengage it; has Radio Frequency technology, which enables the vehicle to be tracked even if it is in hidden in areas that obstruct GPS and/or cellular signals; and most importantly, is directly integrated with law enforcement."

*Cars, SUVs, light trucks and motorcycles

Following are LoJack's findings for 2010:

Most Stolen and Recovered Vehicles by Make & Model:

2010 Ranking 2009 Ranking

1. Honda Accord 2

2. Honda Civic 1

3. Toyota Camry 3

4. Acura Integra 4

5. Cadillac Escalade 5

6. Toyota Corolla 6

7. Dodge Ram Pickup (New)

8. Nissan Altima 8

9. Nissan Maxima (New)

10. Chevrolet Tahoe 7

Most Stolen and Recovered Vehicles by Year, Make & Model:

2010 Ranking 2009 Ranking

1. 2000 Honda Civic 1

2. 1997 Honda Accord 3

3. 1996 Honda Accord 5

4. 1994 Honda Accord 6

5. 1995 Honda Accord 9

While older sedans continue to attract thieves, our data shows criminals are also targeting newer vehicles. The list below (compiled for the first time this year) includes the top five stolen vehicles that are recovered and five years old or less. It should be noted that many of these vehicles can come equipped with tracking devices based on GPS and cellular technology.

Most Stolen and Recovered Vehicles by Year, Make & Model (Less than 5 Yrs. Old)

1. 2007 Toyota Camry

2. 2009 Toyota Camry

3. 2006 Chevrolet Silverado

4. 2007 Cadillac Escalade

5. 2006 Ford F-250 Series

States with the Most Stolen and Recovered Vehicles:

2010 Ranking 2009 Ranking

1. California 1

2. Texas 2

3. Florida 3

4. New York 4

5. Massachusetts 5

6. New Jersey 6

7. Arizona 7

8. Maryland 8

9. Georgia 10

10. Nevada 9

"While the national vehicle theft rate has decreased somewhat in recent years, it remains a problem that cost consumers $5.2 billion in lost assets in 2009. Moreover, we are starting to see vehicle theft rising again in certain areas of the country, particularly in cities within Southern and Central California," said Clancy. "We've also seen evidence of this type of theft rising in select cities in other states on our top 10 list including New York, so people everywhere need to be increasingly vigilant about protecting their vehicles from this costly and potentially disruptive problem."

Other Recovery Facts:

" Oldest Stolen Vehicle Recovered: 1956 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia

" Most Expensive Stolen Vehicle Recovered: 2009 Mercedes Benz-SL Class worth approximately $101,725

" Multiple Recoveries: Police in different parts of the country recovered four vehicles on the same date at precisely the same time (August 28 at 1:28 p.m.)

" First Recovery of the Year: 2002 Toyota Highlander on January 1 at 12:28 a.m.

" Last Recovery of the Year: 2007 Cadillac

By Jake Lingeman