Part of what goes into determining your auto insurance rate is the likelihood of your vehicle being stolen. Some vehicles are simply more attractive to thieves. Is your vehicle a target? Chances are it is, if you drive a Ford pickup truck.
Every year the Insurance Bureau of Canada releases their list of Canada's most stolen vehicles and this year eight out of the top 10 are built Ford tough:
- 2015 Lexus GX460 4-door AWD SUV
- 2007 Ford F-350 Super Duty 4WD Pickup
- 2006 Ford F-350 Super Duty 4WD Pickup
- 2005 Ford F-350 Super Duty 4WD Pickup
- 2001 Ford F-350 Super Duty 4WD Pickup
- 2003 Ford F-350 Super Duty 4WD Pickup
- 2004 Ford F-350 Super Duty 4WD Pickup
- 2016 Toyota 4Runner 4-door 4WD SUV
- 2002 Ford F-350 Super Duty 4WD Pickup
- 2006 Ford F-250 Super Duty 4WD Pickup
"Between 2015 and 2016, motor vehicle theft across Canada was down slightly to just over 78,000 cases," said Dan Service, Acting National Director, Investigative Services, IBC. "After two years of increased reports of auto theft, 2016 saw a 1% decline. The biggest increases were in Yukon where stolen vehicle numbers are up 22%, Nunavut where they are up 18%, and Saskatchewan where they are up 15%."
"We see from this list that criminals continue to favour all-wheel drive and four-wheel drive, older, high-end vehicles," Service added.
Deter auto thieves from stealing your car
According to the IBC, cars are stolen for a number of reasons: they may be shipped overseas where they're then sold to unsuspecting consumers who are unaware it's a stolen vehicle; they're scrapped for parts; or, they might be used to commit another crime. Whatever the reason, it takes less than a minute for a thief to steal your ride. As a result, the IBC advises drivers to take precautions to deter auto theft and:
- Never, even for just a minute, leave your car running unattended.
- Park in well-lit areas.
- Roll up your car windows, lock the doors, and pocket and protect your keys when parking.
- Never leave valuables or packages in view. Put them in the trunk.
- Park your car in the garage at night.
- Avoid leaving personal information in your glove box like your insurance and ownership documents. Take them with you when you're not in the car.
This last bit of advice is new in recent years. Thieves can take more than your vehicle and the valuables inside when they steal your car. They could potentially attempt to steal your identity too. Identify fraud cases in Canada are up 16 per cent and identity theft is up 21 per cent, according to Statistics Canada.
If your car has been stolen, notify the police and your insurance company immediately.
This article is updated annually to reflect the the most current information released by the IBC.
