The Most Stolen Vehicle in Iowa and are YOU driving it?
According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, approximately every 32 seconds a motor vehicle is stolen. That adds up to over one million vehicles stolen last year.
Something is Missing in Iowa
In Iowa, a curious trend has emerged, certain vehicles vanish without a trace. A few economical cars have held the top spot for stolen cars, in Iowa, but it quickly jumps back to full-size trucks. Thieves were taking the Full-size Dodge pickup in 2001. Then in 2003, The Honda Accord, right back to the Full-size Ford Pickup in 2004, and so on. It's about to happen again. As of 2022, the full-size pick-up is the big dog when it comes to thefts.
Big tickets are always the Best
The full-size pickup is a big ticket item. That's probably why it was at the top of the list of the most stolen vehicles in Iowa for several decades. Then tastes changed, changed again, changed once more and the full-size was back on top as the most stolen. The full-size pickup might be sliding down that list more than just one space in 2024. The national numbers are in and look out if you're driving Hyundai and Kia. They take six of the 10 spots on the newest NICB list of the most stolen vehicles. Though the Chevy Silverado 1500, hangs in there.
1) Hyundai Elantra
2) Hyundai Sonata
3) KIA Optima
4) Chevy Silverado 1500
5) KIA Soul
6) Honda Accord
7) Honda Civic
8) KIA Forte
9) Ford f-150
10) KIA Sportage
Insurance has a few ideas
Allstate Insurance says these are some of the ways thieves steal cars and they don't always have to break in. Sometimes you make it easy. Here are things you could do to keep those thieve at bay. A few simple precautions could make all the difference.
- Lock your doors
- Remove your keys from the vehicle
- Don't leave a spare key in the car
- Close the windows
- Park in well-lit areas
- Install an audible alarm and anti-theft device
- Install tracking system
- Don't leave valuables in your car
Social media challenges are possibly behind the increase in Hyundai and KIA models being stolen.
if your car is stolen, contact the police immediately. The NHTSA says you may need to provide the following information, They also recommend notifying your insurance company within 24 hours of the theft.
- The year, make and model
- license plate number
- Vehicle Identification Number.
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