LoJack reported that the connected vehicle thief increasingly targets high-end vehicles that can be sold in the international black market. Tactics such as use of mystery devices to unlock vehicles, carjacking and vehicle cloning are now widespread. The most popular car models stolen and recovered are mostly from Japanese car makers.
LoJack reported that the most popular color stolen was black, followed by white, gray, silver and blue.
Among the top models valued over $30,000 which were stolen and recovered in 2015 were the Ford F-Series of pickup trucks and the Land Rover Range Rover, both vehicles which can be exported for a lucrative profit in foreign markets, especially in countries where those models aren’t available. Followed by BMW X-Series, Chevy Camaro and Audi Q-Series.
As Pat Clancy, Vice President of Law Enforcement said “Our vehicles have become an extension of our digitally-enabled lives and carry sensitive personal information about us. Each time a vehicle is stolen, it impacts the owner far beyond the loss of property.”
Fortunately, law enforcement officials, partnering with LoJack, are getting even smarter and more effective at recovering stolen vehicles, minimizing the potential damage to owners. More than 90 percent of vehicles equipped with the LoJack System were recovered in 2015.
FBI data from the 2015 Preliminary Semiannual Crime Statistics Report show that the number of stolen vehicles increased in the first half of 2015 compared to 2014. In addition, the National Insurance Crime Bureau has recently warned about certain types of complex vehicle thefts, including the use of mystery devices to unlockvehicles and vehicle cloning.
The good news is law enforcement officials recovered more than $112 million in stolen vehicles equipped with the LoJack Stolen Vehicle Recovery System in 2015.
Five of the top six most stolen and recovered models were Honda, Toyota and Nissan sedans. As Japanese brands have become more popular and parts and supplies more readily available globally, today’s connected car thief has found continued demand for those models and their parts. The top ten most stolen and recovered by LoJack 2015:
1. Honda Civic
2. Honda Accord
3. Toyota Camry
4. Toyota Corolla
5. Acura Integra
6. Nissan Altima
7. Ford F250
8. Ford F150
9. Nissan Maxima
10. Chevy Tahoe