Table of contents
Introduction
When I bought my 2005 Chevy Silverado 2500HD, little did I know that it was one of the most stolen cars in the country. Due to minimal anti-theft systems and demand for parts, the early 2000’s Silverados are stolen left and right. After less than one year of ownership, my truck was stolen the week before College Finals. About a month later, my truck was brought to a tow yard looking like this:
I was devastated that it was stripped out and totaled by my insurance. Fortunately, I bounced back and took on my new journey in my Focus ST. In hindsight, there were some precautions I could have taken to avoid becoming a victim. Since that experience, I learned a lot about vehicle thefts and what we can do as car owners to avoid the situation altogether.
Come along for the ride and learn about why cars are stolen, what you can do to prevent theft, and what the most stolen cars of 2024 are.
What Are The Most Stolen Cars of 2024?
1. Kia and Hyundai Vehicles Without Push-To-Start
The vehicle theft epidemic of the decade is no doubt the “Kia Boyz” era. Poor anti-theft systems, manufacturing, and social media are solely to blame. Some videos show thieves successfully stealing these cars in under thirty seconds. Kia and Hyundai to this day have not made permanent solution to help their buyers. This problem has negatively affected their reputation and has created distrust in their reasonably priced vehicles. It has grown to such a huge epidemic that insurance companies are starting to total these cars out quicker.
2. Chevrolet Camaro
The street takeover scene and the rising popularity of signal devices have made the Camaro a target for thieves. While the newer model vehicle makes buyers think their car is safe, key fob signal capturing devices are overcoming anti-theft systems. Fortunately, OnStar has the ability to not only track your vehicle’s location but also disable the ignition. Simply contact OnStar while filing a police report with your local law enforcement agency. OnStar will confirm the vehicle is stolen, disable the ignition, and notify you of the GPS. DO NOT try to locate the vehicle and drive it home without first getting removed from the stolen vehicle system by law enforcement.
3. Dodge Charger/Challenger
Hellcats and Scatpack Chargers and Challengers are the new late 90’s Honda Civic in terms of car thefts. Car thieves start these cars through numerous different ways, whether it be a signal capturing device or having the time to reprogram keys. Fortunately, the Challengers have a better defense against thefts since they have a manual transmission option. What is tragic about these cars being stolen is what happens to them. Trust me, almost every hellcat and scat pack you see in street takeover videos are stolen. Those cars get thrashed with no concern for them, leaving the owner usually with a completely totaled car that had so much more life to give.
4. Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk
The Grand Cherokee Trackhawk has become a car of choice for thieves. The high performance motor and utility of the vehicle is a perfect combination for committing crimes. Thieves access these cars similarly to the Chargers and Challengers due to Mopar using similar parts such as the neutral bypass switch. Luckily, there are some aftermarket anti-theft devices that have come out to combat this method of theft.
5. Infiniti Q50
Lastly on our list is the Infiniti Q50. This sporty luxury sedan is popular amongst thieves for its performance. An Infiniti Q50 will outrun most police vehicles in a chase and they are very common. Their popularity of the car makes them easy to blend in and to find a new Q50 to steal when the one they’re currently in draws too much attention. Similarly to the other newer vehicles, signal capturing devices are used to gain access to these vehicles.
My Car Was Stolen! What Do I Do?
The first thing you need to do is contact your local law enforcement agency. Call them and report that your car was stolen. From there, they will enter the vehicle into the Stolen Vehicle System. Once your report is made, contact your insurance and provide them with the case number for the report. This allows your insurance agency to verify the car was stolen and start the timeline of when they will deem the car a loss. This is typically after 30 days.
Unfortunately, its a waiting game. You won’t know if your car has been recovered until it is. When its recovered, you will be contacted by the police or tow company and will be asked to get your vehicle. If the vehicle is at a tow yard, call your insurance and they will take it from there.
Why Do Criminals Steal Cars?
Car Thieves have a couple of different goals in mind when stealing a car. Either they want a car to commit other crimes, they plan on parting out the vehicle, or simply take it for a joyride.
Thieves Use Cars For Other Crimes
Being in possession of a stolen car is a felony and is targeted by law enforcement agencies around the country. Auto theft task forces and state patrols try to catch auto thieves as they claim it often results in reduction of future crimes. Car thieves may be looking into committing additional car thefts or more serious crimes, so they need cars readily available to them. Unfortunately, modern vehicles are victims of auto thefts just as much as older cars, thus making thieves more attracted to newer cars.
Parting Out Performance Cars For Big Money
With some of these high performance vehicles comes parting out operations. For example, a car thief will take a Hellcat Charger, part out everything they can (including the powertrain), and move onto the next one. If you see a Dodge Hellcat motor for sale at a price that’s too good to be true, it probably is.
Unfortunately, these sports car thefts are becoming so common that the insurance premiums are skyrocketing.
Joy Rides
Lastly, joyrides and social media have gone hand in hand over the years. The rise of the “Kia Boyz” and live streams of police chases inspired others to do the same. This puts the general public at risk and is stupid.
Unfortunately, Stolen cars have made their way into the street takeover scene. In social media videos, the nicer cars swinging in the intersection are usually stolen. Now, some may look at street takeovers as the same as a Bay Area-style sideshow. Trust me, they are not the same thing. Talk to any OG from the 90’s era of sideshows and they will tell you its different. Real sideshows are in a secluded area away from the public and highlight driver skill and clean builds. Clapped out E36s and G35s hitting bystanders and crashing into poles is not a sideshow.
What Can I Do To Keep My Car Safe?
Fortunately, there are lots of options to deter thieves from taking your car. From a simple steering wheel club to an intricate Viper Alarm, you can make your car so difficult to take it isn’t worth it!
One of my personal favorite options is a brake lock. Brake locks prevent you from pushing down on the brake pedal, thus being unable to start the car. These are heavy duty devices and removing them takes a lot of time. Time that a thief typically does not have.
Aftermarket kill switches are a popular option for more expensive cars. Installing a kill switch is a fairly easy process and many shops do this job regularly. Personally, we have a kill switch on our Jeep Wrangler and it works great. Whenever I was concerned for the Jeep, I would take the kill switch key out and bring it with me for piece of mind.
Lastly, a simple and effective way is to pop the hood, open the fuse box up, and remove the ignition fuses. This prevents anyone from starting the car and is good for when you’re in a pinch.
They’re Reprogramming Key Fobs! What Do I Do?
Car thieves today are using car key programmers such as Autel in order to start newer cars. Other thieves are using signal repeaters to get your key fob signal to enter and start your car without issue. The previously listed tools will help you out with the key programmers. If they cannot start or move the car, then a programmer won’t save them. However, if you’re concerned about signal repeaters, consider putting your car key fob into a Faraday bag. Faraday bags block electronic signals, thus protecting it from being used by thieves.
How Do I Protect Myself Financially?
I will always say that if someone wants your car bad enough, they will find a way to take it. My number one piece of advice to you is to have good auto insurance. When my Silverado was stolen, I fortunately had good coverage from Statefarm. While my vehicle was found stripped and deemed a total loss, there was a light at the end of the tunnel. Due to having good insurance, I was paid back the entire value of my vehicle plus extra. This allowed me to pay off my loan and have almost $8,000 to put towards my next car, the Focus ST!
Do your research with your current insurance policy and consider upgrading or switching to a new provider. Fortunately, there are tons of options out there for car insurance that will protect you from life’s unplanned events.
Conclusion
While it may seem that thieves are winning, you can take steps to overcome them. Anti-theft devices, ignition disabling, or securely parking your car can relive the concern for thieves. Consult an anti-theft device installer, go to your local auto parts store, or look into options online to protect your vehicle. If you want to take it even further, avoid purchasing cars on our list of the most stolen cars.
In conclusion, be proactive in protecting your car! Your car is an investment into your life, whether it be to get to work or to enjoy on the weekends. Do whatever you can to make sure no one gets in the way of your income or your happiness.
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