While crime in general is trending down in the United States, car thefts have risen sharply.
As the prices of both used and new cars, as well as everyday goods, go up amidst inflation and stagnant wages, a shiny set of wheels become a bigger target for some easy money.
Related: A common expensive mishap will cost Tesla owners more, says report
A new report by the Council of Criminal Justice estimates that auto theft nationwide has risen more than 33.5% in the first half of this year compared to last year.
However, data from the Highway Loss Data Institute for 2022 shows that one particular car is an extreme outlier when it comes to theft.
This car stands out from the rest
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The HLDI issues each car with a “relative claim frequency” based off of how many individual cars are insured versus how many stolen claims were filed to the particular car. As per their data, the Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat holds the largest target when it comes to car theft, with an RCF of 6,128. The Hellcat eclipses that of the second highest on the list, the Dodge Charger Hemi with an RCF of 2,197.
The rest of the top ten are as follows; the Infiniti Q50, with a RCF score of 878, the Dodge Challenger with a score of 766, the Land Rover Range Rover with a score of 611, the Kia Sportage with a score of 479, the Land Rover Range Rover Sport with a score of 460, the Kia Sportage with four-wheel-drive, with a score of 415, the Honda CR-V with a score of 409 and the BMW X6, with a score of 361.
The HLDI stated in its report that many vehicles on its list are expensive, or boast high horsepower. The most stolen car on the list, Stellantis' (STLA) -) Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat, is a prime example of both factors: It has an MSRP for the 2023 model year of $85,250 and uses a supercharged V8 engine pushing 717 horsepower.
Though the claim frequency measures claims versus the insured population, based off of just pure claims, the Honda (HMC) -) CR-V is the most stolen out of the list, with 1,141 stolen claims filed.
One brand stands out as the least stolen
Tesla (TSLA) -) owners can also get a kick out of the HLDI data, as several of Elon Musk’s machines carry the smallest target for car thieves.
Topping the list is the Tesla Model 3 with all-wheel drive, which carries an RCF score of 3, followed by the Tesla Model Y with all wheel drive, with a score of 3, the Volvo XC90, with a score of 6, the GMC Acadia, with 7, the Tesla Model X with all wheel drive, with a score of 8, the Volvo XC40 with a score 8, the standard rear-wheel-drive Tesla Model 3, with a score of 9, and the Volvo XC60, the Lexus UX250 and Chevrolet Trailblazer 4WD, all with scores of 10.
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Based off of claims data, electric cars are among the least stolen; just two Nissan Leaf stolen claims were filed, along with three all-wheel-drive Tesla Model 3 claims and four all-wheel drive Tesla Model S claims.
No matter what set of data is used, insurance companies and the NHTSA state that drivers should practice preventative measures to prevent car theft, including taking the key with you, locking all windows and doors, parking in well-lit areas and taking valuables with you.
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