July & August are Top months for Vehicle Theft

Stolen cars are an unwelcome summer ritual

Thieves will steal three vehicles before you finish reading this article. And even though your neighborhood feels safe, more than half of the nearly 700,000 cars stolen in 2014 occurred in an area such as a home garage or street.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) warns that the . So after giving your car a good wax down in the summer sun, close and lock all windows and doors and remove or hide any valuables.

Top stolen cars

NHTSA reports that a motor vehicle is stolen every 33 seconds — 689,527 stolen in 2014. According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), the top vehicles stolen in the nation in 2014 were:

1. Honda Accord (51,290)
2. Honda Civic (43,936)
3. Ford Pickup (full size) (28,680)
4. Chevrolet Pickup (full size) (23,196)
5. Toyota Camry (14,605)
6. Dodge Pickup (full size) (11,075)
7. Dodge Caravan (10,483)
8. Nissan Altima (9,109)
9. Acura Integra (6,902)
10. Nissan Maxima (6,586)

The NICB also lists the top vehicles stolen by state.

Four ways to avoid stolen cars

The NHTSA says you don’t have a great chance of getting your stolen vehicle back — 45 percent are never recovered.

Your best defense is offense:

1. Don’t leave your keys in your vehicle. When you do, you’re making it way too easy for thieves.
2. Close and lock all windows and doors when you park — even in summer’s heat. Better to get in a hot car than no car.
3. Park in well-lit areas or a garage when possible.
4. Stow valuables, such as bags, purses, cellphones, and other tech accessories, in your vehicles out of plain sight.

For more information

Visit the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration for more information about vehicle theft prevention. For more driving and vehicle safety tips, visit the Front Porch blog on grinnellmutual.com.

Call your local independent insurance company – Pardridge Insurance – 758-4447 if you have any more questions or concerns!

The information included in this publication was obtained from sources believed to be reliable, however Grinnell Mutual Reinsurance Company and its employees make no guarantee of results and assume no liability in connection with any training, materials, suggestions or information provided. It is the user’s responsibility to confirm compliance with any applicable local, state or federal regulations. Information obtained from or via Grinnell Mutual Reinsurance Company should not be used as the basis for legal advice or other advice, but should be confirmed with alternative sources.