[Booming California Real Estate Values, Go to Shopnowshop.com Directory][Why For Sale By Owners][California's Last Frontier: Valley Land][Fresno Homes & Properties Documentary][Quality of Life Real Estate][Reedley Homes & Properties Documentary][Clovis Homes & Properties Documentary] [Selma Homes & Properties Documentary][Madera Homes & Properties Documentary][Visalia Homes & Properties Documentary][California Builders & Developers' Directory] [Just Listed Open Houses by Shopnowshop] [Find Mortgage Companies Rates, Quotes & Info][California's Real Estate & Quality of Life] [Clovis Schools & Home Appreciation] [Credit Scoring: the Three Giants]

Official Press Releases & News You Can Use

* Nationwide, the 2004 motor vehicle theft rate per 100,000 people was 421.3, down 2.9 percent from 433.7 in 2003. The highest rate was reported in the West, 664.5, up 1.7 percent, the only region registering an increase. The rate of motor vehicles stolen was 397.8 in the South, down 4.2 percent from 2003; 341.6 in the Midwest, down 4.8 percent; and 262.5 in the Northeast, down 9.9 percent.

* Only 13.0 percent of thefts were cleared by arrests in 2004.

* Carjackings occur most frequently in urban areas. They account for only 3.0 percent of all motor vehicle thefts.

* The average comprehensive insurance premium in the U.S. rose 11.2 percent from 1999 to 2003, the most recent data available.

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

* Thefts By City: According to a National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) study released in August 2005, seven of the top 10 U.S. metropolitan areas for vehicle theft in 2004 are in California, as shown below:

MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT, TOP TEN U.S. METROPOLITAN AREAS, 2004

Rank: Metropolitan Statistical Area : Vehicles stolen Rate (1)
1 Modesto, CA 7,024 1,571.38
2 Stockton-Lodi, CA 8,163 1,448.37
3 Las Vegas, NV 19,794 1,266.18
4 Phoenix-Mesa, AZ 40,371 1,241.47
5 Sacramento, CA 18,747 1,151.40
6 Oakland, CA 24,855 1,038.85
7 Visalia-Tulare-Porterville, CA 3,800 1,032.55
8 San Diego, CA 27,396 973.62
9 Fresno, CA 8,770 950.66
10 Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, WA 22,807 944.54

(1) Ranked by the rate of vehicle thefts reported per 100,000 people based on the 2000 Census.

Source: National Insurance Crime Bureau.

* Thefts By Model: The NICB says that the 1995 Honda Civic was the most stolen vehicle in 2004. Motor vehicle thieves continue to target imports over domestic brands. Many vehicles on the top ten list shown below are 10 to 17 model years old. These cars have been consistent top sellers for many years and some of their parts are interchangeable. Thieves dismantle them for their components. The NICB compiles its list using National Crime Information Center data. It differs from the CCC Information list below because it is based on police reports while the CCC report uses insurance claims.

TOP TEN MOST FREQUENTLY STOLEN PASSENGER VEHICLES, 2004

Rank: Year, make, model
1 1995 Honda Civic
2 1989 Toyota Camry
3 1991 Honda Accord
4 1994 Dodge Caravan
5 1994 Chevrolet Full Size C/K 1500 Pickup
6 1997 Ford F150 Series
7 2003 Dodge Ram Pickup
8 1990 Acura Integra
9 1988 Toyota Pickup
10 1991 Nissan Sentra

Source: National Insurance Crime Bureau.

* According to CCC Information Services, which counts total losses (stolen and not recovered or completely totaled) of each particular model from more than 350 property/casualty insurers in North America, and calculates the theft rate based on registrations, the 1995 Saturn SL was the most frequently stolen vehicle in 2003. Below is CCC’s list of the top 25 vehicles stolen in 2003.

TOP 25 MOST FREQUENTLY STOLEN PASSENGER VEHICLES, 2004

Rank :Year, Make, Model :Rank

Year, Make, Model
1 1999 Acura Integra 14 1994 Acura Integra
2 2002 BMW M Roadster 15 1996 Lexus GS
3 1998 Acura Integra 16 2000 Acura Integra
4 1991 GMC V2500 17 1999 Mercedes-Benz CL
5 2002 Audi S4 18 1996 Lexus SC
6 1996 Acura Integra 19 2004 Cadillac Escalade
7 1995 Acura Integra 20 1996 BMW 750
8 2004 Mercury Marauder 21 1998 Land Rover Range
9 1997 Acura Integra 22 1994 Audi Cabriolet
10 1992 Mercedes-Benz 600 23 2001 BMW M Roadster
11 2001 Acura Integra 24 2003 Cadillac Escalade
12 1989 Chevrolet R25 25 2000 Honda Civic
13 1993 Cadillac Fleetwood

Source: CCC Information Services, Inc.

MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT IN THE UNITED STATES, 1995-2004

Year
Vehicles stolen
Percent change
1995 1,472,441 -4.3%
1996 1,394,238 -5.3
1997 1,354,189 -2.9
1998 1,242,781 -8.2
1999 1,152,075 -7.3
2000 1,160,002 0.7
2001 1,228,391 5.9
2002 1,246,646 1.5
2003 (1) 1,261,226 1.2
2004 1,237,114 -1.9

(1) The 2003 crime figures have been adjusted.

Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Uniform Crime Reports.
BACKGROUND

Federal Antitheft Legislation: Federal intervention against car thieves began in 1919, with passage of the Dyer Act that made interstate transportation of stolen vehicles a federal crime.

In 1984, Congress took a major step in the war against auto theft. It passed the Motor Vehicle Theft Law Enforcement Act, a law designed to thwart professional car thieves and chop shops by making it more difficult to sell stolen vehicles and parts, both domestically and overseas. The law toughened penalties by bringing parts under federal racketeering statutes and by imposing heavy fines and prison terms for export violations. It also sought to dry up the illegal used-parts market by requiring manufacturers to stamp identifying numbers on major car components, making it easier to trace parts taken from vehicles stolen for dismantling.

The Act also required that vehicles be made available for inspection prior to export and expanded U.S. Customs officials' powers of inspection and arrest in response to the growing international nature of motor vehicle theft. Cars and parts of cars stolen in the United States often wind up on overseas markets. Insurers or their designated agents are required to inform the Secretary of Transportation of vehicle theft and recovery and rating data used to set insurance premiums for motor vehicles.

What Can Car Consumers Do To Protect Their Investments? Car Devices and Tech