DES PLAINES, Ill. -

Movie stars and sun may make southern California a hot spot, but several parts of the state have a different kind of “hot spot” distinction: vehicle theft.

According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau’s latest Hot Spots report, California’s Modesto Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) had the nation’s highest per capita vehicle theft rate in 2015, and seven of the other top 10 municipalities for car theft were in California, too.

The Hot Spots report examined vehicle theft data obtained from the National Crime Information Center for each of the nation’s MSAs. MSAs are designated by the Office of Management and Budget and often include areas much larger than the cities for which they are named. For example, the Modesto MSA includes the entire county of Stanislaus, not just the city of Modesto.

Likewise, an area with a much smaller population and a moderate number of thefts can, and often does, have a higher theft rate than an area with a much more significant vehicle theft problem and a larger population to absorb it.

For 2015, the 10 MSAs with the highest vehicle theft rates were: (2014 figures in parentheses)

1) Modesto, Calif. — 4,072 thefts. (Rank: 5; thefts, 3,047)

2) Albuquerque, N.M. — 6,657 thefts. (Rank: 12; thefts, 4,754)

3) Bakersfield, Calif. — 6,000 thefts. (Rank: 2; thefts, 5,211)

4) Salinas, Calif. — 2,934 thefts. (Rank: 11, thefts, 2,270)  

5) San Fransisco-Oakland-Hayward, Calif. — 30,554 (Rank: 1; thefts, 29,093)

6) Stockton-Lodi, Calif. — 4,656 thefts. (Rank: 3, thefts, 4,245)

7) Pueblo, Colo. — 983 thefts. (Rank: 24; thefts, 654)

8) Merced, Calif. — 1,605 thefts. (Rank: 21, thefts, 1,132)

9) Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, Calif. — 25,001 thefts. (Rank: 14; thefts, 21,264)

10) Vallejo-Fairfield, Calif. — 2,352 thefts. (Rank: 7; thefts, 2,414)

When the FBI released preliminary, January-June 2015 crime data earlier this year, vehicle theft was up 1 percent across the nation. That increase is reflected in the most recent Hot Spots report and the trend may hold when the final FBI 2015 crime data is published in the fall.

Notwithstanding these occasional increases, vehicle thefts are down dramatically around the nation over the last several years. Nonetheless, the reasons vehicles are stolen remain the same. Older vehicles are stolen primarily for their parts value while newer, high-end vehicles are often shipped overseas or, after some disguising, sold to an innocent buyer locally.

Tips for protecting your vehicle

NICB recommends that drivers follow these four “layers of protection” to guard against vehicle theft:

Common sense — the easiest and most cost-effective way to thwart thieves. You should always:

—Remove your keys from the ignition.
—Lock your doors/close your windows.
—Park in a well-lit area.

Warning device — a visible or audible device that alerts thieves that your vehicle is protected. Popular devices include:

—Audible alarms
—Steering column collars
—Steering wheel/brake pedal lock
—Brake locks
—Wheel locks
—Theft deterrent decals
—Identification markers in or on vehicle
—VIN etching
—Micro dot marking

Immobilizing device —a device that prevents thieves from bypassing your ignition and hot-wiring the vehicle. Some electronic devices have computer chips in ignition keys; others inhibit the flow of electricity or fuel to the engine until a hidden switch or button is activated. Some examples are:

—Smart keys
—Fuse cut-offs
—Kill switches
—Starter, ignition, and fuel pump disablers
—Wireless ignition authentication

Tracking device —emits a signal to police or a monitoring station when the vehicle is stolen. Some systems employ “telematics” that combine GPS and wireless technologies to allow remote monitoring of a vehicle. If the vehicle is moved, the system will alert the owner and the vehicle can be tracked via computer.

Anyone with information concerning insurance fraud or vehicle theft can report it anonymously by calling toll-free 800-TEL-NICB (800-835-6422), texting keyword “fraud” to TIP411 (847411) or submitting a form at www.nicb.org. You may also download the NICB Fraud Tips app on your iPhone or Android device.

The full Hot Spots report is available at www.nicb.org. See the Hot Spots video here or in the window above.