BEWARE! YOUR CAR IS MORE LIKELY TO BE STOLEN IF YOU OWN ANY OF THESE BRANDS

If you own a car, you most likely want to be more cautious as there are a number of brands that seems to be loved by thieves much more than others.

Even driving an older model of such car brands doesn’t make you safe!
Car theft can be as much of a nuisance as—and way pricier than—getting your identity stolen. And if you think it will never happen to you, you might want to think again.

According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau’s (NICB) latest annual “Hot Wheels” report, one of the most commonly stolen cars could be sitting in your garage right now.

Using national vehicle theft data, the NICB identified the 10 most-stolen vehicles of 2016 in the United States.

They found that thieves tend to target Honda Accords and Civics, with almost 100,000 thefts in total. Car thieves preferred older vehicles, too; 1997 Accords and 1998 Civics were stolen the most often.

If you own a Ford, Chevy, or Dodge pickup truck, beware! They were the most stolen after Hondas.

Toyota Camrys and Corollas, Nissan Altimas, Chevy Impalas, and Jeep Cherokees also made the list, accounting for nearly half of the year’s thefts combined.

Only three types of cars were made in the last two years: the 2016 Toyota Camry and 2015 Nissan Altima and Toyota Corolla. The rest of the makes ranged from 2000 to 2008.

Although this list hasn’t changed much over the past few years, the FBI reports that in the last year alone, the total number of reported vehicle thefts in the U.S. increased by 6.6 percent. 

The NICB says this could be because car thieves have started to use more sophisticated hacking technology, especially for the electronic anti-theft systems in new vehicles.

If you see your car on the list, don’t panic. You can always make it harder to steal by locking all doors and windows, using anti-theft systems such as car alarms and tracking systems, and parking in well-lit areas.

Another thing that can make you rest even easier, is to also purchase a comprehensive car insurance plan that covers the value of your stolen vehicle. This will ensure you get the value of your car back in the event of theft.