Ford Full-Size Pickup Is Most Stolen Vehicle In Kentucky
Tips On Preventing Car Theft
Image: IFCAR, via Wikimedia Commons
The Ford full size pickup is the best-selling vehicle in America. It’s also the most stolen vehicle in America, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau.
Robert Moore
Herald Staff
rmoore@harrodsburgherald.com
The Ford full-size pickup in not only the best selling vehicle in the nation, it’s also the most stolen vehicle in the nation. That’s according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, who released their annual “Hot Wheels” report, which includes crime data from across the country. According to the NICB, Ford full size pickups were the most stolen vehicle in 2019, supplanting the Honda Civic.
Chief Brian Allen of theHarrodsburg Police Department said there hasn’t been a big change in the number of vehicles stolen locally. However, Allen said there had been an increase in the number of vehicles being broken into. One common theme: the owners leaving their vehicles unlocked, often with the keys still in the ignition.
“That’s a big issue,” Allen said.
The Hot Wheels report examines vehicle theft data submitted by law enforcement to the National Crime Information Center and determines the vehicle make, model, and model year most reported stolen in 2019.
The top 10 most stolen vehicles in Kentucky are listed below by ranking, vehicle year, model and number of vehicles stolen.
1. 2004 Ford Pick-Up (Full Size), 434
2. 2004 Chevrolet Pick-Up (Full Size), 358
3. 2009 Toyota Camry, 211
4. 2008 Chevrolet Impala, 151
5. 2006 Nissan Altima, 148
6. 2015 Chevrolet Malibu, 143
7. 2001 Dodge Pick-Up (Full Size), 129
8 2010 Toyota Corolla, 128
9. 2012 Ford Focus, 125
10. (tie) 2011 Ford Fusion and 2019 Jeep Cherokee/Grand Cherokee, 123
Chief Allen said most vehicle thefts are crimes of opportunity. He recommends owners park in well-lit areas, lock their vehicles, don’t leave keys in the ignition and don’t leave valuables where they can be seen.
“If you make it difficult, they’re going to go somewhere else,” Allen said.
The National Insurance Crime Bureau recommends drivers follow these tips to guard against vehicle theft:
1. Common Sense—the easiest and most cost-effective way to thwart would-be thieves. You should always:
• Remove your keys from the ignition
• Lock your doors/close your windows
• Park in a well-lit area
2. Warning Device—a visible or audible device alerts thieves that your vehicle is protected. Popular devices include:
• Audible alarms
• Steering column collars
• Steering wheel/brake pedal lock
• Brake locks
• Wheel locks
• Theft deterrent decals
• Identification markers in or on vehicle
• VIN etching
• Micro dot marking
3. Immobilizing Device —prevent thieves from bypassing the ignition and hot-wiring the vehicle. Some electronic devices have computer chips in ignition keys. Other devices inhibit the flow of electricity or fuel to the engine until a hidden switch or button is activated. Some examples are:
• Smart keys
• Fuse cut-offs
• Kill switches
• Starter, ignition, and fuel pump disablers
• Wireless ignition authentication
4. Tracking Device—sends a signal to police or a monitoring station when the vehicle is stolen. Tracking devices are very effective in helping authorities recover stolen vehicles. Some systems employ “telematics” which combine GPS and wireless technologies to allow remote monitoring of a vehicle. If the vehicle is moved, the system will alert the owner and the vehicle can be tracked via computer.
Anyone with information concerning insurance fraud or vehicle theft can report it anonymously by calling toll-free 800.TEL.NICB (800.835.6422) or submitting a form on their website.
The National Insurance Crime Bureau, headquartered in Des Plaines, Illinois, is the nation’s leading not-for-profit organization exclusively dedicated to preventing, detecting and defeating insurance fraud and vehicle theft through data analytics, investigations, learning and development, government affairs and public affairs. The NICB is supported by more than 1,400 property and casualty insurance companies and self-insured organizations. NICB member companies wrote over $525 billion in insurance premiums in 2019, or more than 82-percent of the nation’s property-casualty insurance. That includes more than 95-percent ($241 billion) of the nation’s personal auto insurance. To learn more, visit www.nicb.org.
For the curious, the most stolen vehicles in the nation during 2019 according to the NICB are:
1. 2006 Ford Pickup (Full Size), 38,938
2. 2000 Honda Civic, 33,220
3. 2004 Chevrolet Pickup (Full Size), 32,583
4. 1997 Honda Accord, 30,745
5. 2007 Toyota Camry, 15,656
6. 2015 Nissan Altima, 13,355
7. 2018 Toyota Corolla, 12,137
8. 2001 Dodge Pickup (Full Size), 11,292
9. 2018 GMC Pickup (Full Size), 11,164
10. 2001 Honda CR-V, 10,094
