No one wants to find themselves a victim of a car theft. However, last year, owners of certain vehicles received this unpleasant surprise more than others. According to a report from the National Insurance Crime Bureau, the Honda Accord was the most stolen vehicle in the nation in 2012. There were 58,596 reports of stolen Accords - far more than the Honda Civic, which was second with 47,037 thefts.
While Accords and Civics were the most popular targets, older models of these vehicles more likely to be filched than newer automobiles. In fact, the 1996 Accord had the most reported thefts, and all of the top targets were Honda models dating from 1990 to 2000. The security features on newer models tend to dissuade potential thieves, and improved anti-theft technology has made it harder to break into these cars.
Newer models weren't left alone, either. The most popular target from the 2012 model year was the Nissan Altima, followed by the Chevrolet Impala and Chevrolet Malibu.
Drivers can take a few precautions to protect themselves against theft. Taking a car in for regular tune ups and vehicle maintenance is a must, as this can check on the functioning of anti-theft features and security systems to make sure everything is performing up to par.