Car buyers have long been trained to watch for the usual suspects when it comes to finding used cars for sale. Checking vehicle history reports, cross checking dealership prices, using online car search engines, and reviewing crash data are all old hat for seasoned car buyers. But are you checking if your prospective ride is a theft target?
Don't Buy a Target - Checking The Highest Targeted Stolen Vehicles
Vehicles are getting more advanced and more difficult to steal all the time. However just as the latest tech is improving, so are thieves' abilities at defeating them. If you are considering a newer model used vehicle, the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) has some data for you to consider before you buy. This is especially true if you live in an area where cars and trucks have been known to walk off.
Below is the list of 2010 to 2012 model year vehicles with the highest theft rates for 2013.
Model
Type
Claim Freqency
Ford F-250 crew 4WD
Chevrolet Silverado 1500 crew
Chevrolet Avalanche
GMC Sierra 1500 crew
Ford F-350 crew 4WD
Cadillac Escalade 4WD
Chevrolet Suburban 1500
GMC Sierra 1500 extended cab
GMC Yukon
Chevrolet Tahoe
Pickup
Pickup
SUV
Pickup
Pickup
SUV
SUV
Pickup
SUV
SUV
7.0 per 1,000
6.7 per 1,000
6.1 per 1,000
6.0 per 1,000
5.6 per 1,000
5.5 per 1,000
5.4 per 1,000
4.7 per 1,000
4.5 per 1,000
4.4 per 1,000
Now this list probably makes you VERY nervous if you own a truck, or where considering shopping cheap trucks for sale at your local car lot, however not all is as bad as it seems. The HLDI includes pickup claims as a result of theft of vehicle equipment from the bed of the truck as well as the theft of the whole vehicle itself. So if someone stole your tailgate it counts in these numbers as much as if they stole the whole thing.
Still, tailgate theft aside, it's not really that surprising to see so many trucks and large SUVs at the top of the list. Truck sales are going off the rails as of late so there is a huge demand for them no matter how they are 'acquired'. Also it makes sense that if you're going to steal something, that $40,000+ pickup or SUV makes more sense then a $20,000 sedan or a $30,000 minivan.
So what impact does this have on car buyers? If you're in the market for a truck it might not have a huge impact given how high all of them are targeted, but it does lead one to wonder if the Ram trucks might be a better option if theft concerns you. Ram didn't even make the top ten list, though the recent Ram redesign for 2013 that won all those awards isn't eligible for this list being a 2013 either.
Still, maybe the best point is not to buy more car then you need and look instead at cheap used cars for sale. While you may feel the need to show off to your neighbors, it also means car thieves are more likely to watch you to. And wait for a moment to make off with your ride.