You May Be Driving One of the 10 Most Stolen Vehicles in New York

New York has the 7th highest number of reported car thefts in the nation. Looking at the list of the most stolen vehicles in the state, it seems these car thieves have a "type."

Is your car one of them?

Car Owner's Worst Nightmare

We all experienced the panic of walking onto a parking lot and not seeing our vehicle straight away. We also would be lying if our minds didn't immediately entertain the worst possible conclusion - someone stole the car.

Thankfully, the rational side of us tells us to keep looking instead of panicking. For a good majority of us, we eventually do find our   Nothing is sweeter than finding your car after worrying someone had driven off in it. However, not everyone gets a happy ending.

Car thefts are rising across New York State and authorities have noticed that thieves have developed a preference for certain make and models. While one would think that thieves would prefer stealing the most expensive car they can get their grubby hands on, the National Insurance Crime Bureau says that's not always the case.

Read More: Here's How Many Billions New York Loses to Shoplifters Each Year

In fact, thieves are less included to steal those fancy Bentleys and Porsches - because they tend to stick out a lot more than your average Mitsubishi or Honda.

That said, if you are driving a car that you commonly see on the road, then keep reading to see if you're unknowingly driving a vehicle that has a big target on its hatchback.

More than a Million Cars Stolen

The NICB says 2022 had been a record year for car thefts, when the nation clocked more than a million. That was a seven percent jump from the previous year.

David J. Glawe, president and CEO of the NICB, said the trend is only getting worse. He warned:

Approximately one motor vehicle is stolen every 32 seconds, which adds up to more than one million vehicles stolen last year. Vehicle theft disrupts lives, causes financial hardship, and undermines community safety. Addressing this problem is not just the responsibility of law enforcement agencies; it requires a partnership between vehicle owners, community members, as well as federal, state and local governments.

The best way to protect your vehicle from becoming a statistic is to lock it up always, close all windows before leaving the vehicle, and make sure your car's alarm is on when you lock it.

Local police are also urging residents to stop leaving their key fobs in their cars, which makes things all the more easier for these car thieves.

Residents can make their vehicles less desirable by removing all personal items like purses, wallets, E-Z passes, and other valuables that would entice a crook to smash the windows and go for a quick grab.

Lastly, critics of our current state administration say the reason why thefts appear to be going up is due to the bail reform laws. In addition to criminals seemingly being released immediately after commiting a crime, the issue goes deeper when dealing with minors.

Critics say gangs are employing minors to commit crimes, like car thefts, because they'll be released to their parents after being caught.

No matter what is causing the rise, residents can help themselves by taking a few extra seconds to lock their car and stash away their valuables.

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