CAR THIEVES TEND TO GO AFTER OLDER MODELS
PALOS HILLS, ILL.
Cars popular with thieves when new remain favorite theft targets as they age, according to a study by the National Insurance Crime Bureau.
The number of thefts reported to the NICB in 1991 shows that cars from the 1986 model year were the most frequently stolen in 1991.
In 1986, the most popular new cars with thieves were the Chevrolet Camaro, followed by the Pontiac Firebird, the Chevy Monte Carlo, the Buick Regal, and the Toyota MR2. In 1991, all five remain the most stolen 1986 models.
One reason older cars are popular targets, law enforcement personnel and vehicle manufacturers say, is that thieves have cracked their deterrence systems. New cars, however, often have new anti-theft devices that present a greater challenge.