Every 22 minutes, a vehicle is stolen in Michigan.  That’s according the MI State Police data, and in the Wolverine State, the majority of cars that are stolen aren’t high-end luxury cars. For that matter, few of them are even newer models, a new report shows.

The National Insurance Crime Bureau — a group that deals with theft and fraud awareness —  has released a new survey stating that nationwide, the most stolen car in 2015 was the 1996 Honda Accord. In addition, of the top 10 cars stolen in the United States, the NICB report shows that only one type of vehicle — the Nissan Altima — was a 2015 model car. According to the report, 52,244 ’96 Accords were stolen last year.

Top 10 Stolen Vehicles in Michigan

1              2008 Chevrolet Impala                                733

2              1999 Chevrolet Pick-Up (Full Size)           585

3              2006 Ford Pick-Up (Full Size)                    530

4              2003 Dodge Caravan                                  528

5              2015 Dodge Charger                                   477

6              2007 Chevrolet Trailblazer                        462

7              2013 Chevrolet Malibu                              451

8              2004 Pontiac Grand Prix                            418

9              2000 Jeep Cherokee/Grand Cherokee  407

10           2014 Ford Fusion                                         355

The Insurance Information Institute says Michigan is definitely in the Top 10 among states in stolen vehicles.  But no state is even close to California, which had more than 150,000 stolen in 2014.  That’s. one every three or four minutes!

State Police say the color is a factor in which cars thieves decide to grab.

Favorite choices of color:

  1. Black
  2. White
  3. Red
  4. Blue
  5. Silver
  6. Green
  7. Gray
  8. Maroon
  9. Gold
  10. Tan

Some of the newer, more modern vehicles are certainly not safe from car thieves. NICB President and CEO Joe Wehrle said in a statement that criminals are taking steps to defeat anti-theft technology.

“While older vehicles still dominate our Hot Wheels most stolen list, the number of late model vehicles with anti-theft protection on the list goes to show that technology isn’t foolproof,” said . “Criminals are doing their best to defeat anti-theft technology through hacking and other means while, at the same time, manufacturers and others are working to improve security.”

In addition, while the number of car thefts nationwide continues to decline, incidents involving vehicles that are stolen with the keys inside are on the rise, according to the NICB.

For the years 2012 through 2014, the total number of vehicles stolen with keys was 126, 603, according to the NICB.

“Far too often, drivers leave their vehicles unlocked or with the keys inside, making it way too easy for an opportunistic thief,” Wehrle said. “And as we noted recently, many stolen cars are not reported as typical thefts to police because many of today’s thefts are financial crimes involving complicated VIN switching, cloning, straw buyers, illegal exports and other sophisticated criminal methods.”

How to protect your vehicle from thieves

It’s still wise to consider ways to protect your vehicle from theft, starting with some common sense reminders:

  1. If the keys are in the ignition, don’t leave your vehicle unattended.
  2. Remember to close the windows and the sunroof upon exiting your car.
  3. Park your car in the garage and close it, if possible.
  4. Consider a GPS tracking device so you can monitor your vehicle’s location via a Smartphone or computer.
  5. Consider an anti-theft device, like the “Club,” or a car alarm.
  6. Consider installing an ignition kill switch or fuel cutoff device to make it more difficult for a thief to start the vehicle.
  7. Have the VIN number etched on the windshield and major components to make them harderfor chop shops to sell as replacement parts.

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