DES PLAINES, Ill. -

Beware, drivers of older Honda Accords and Civics: Yours continue to be the most stolen vehicles in the U.S.

That’s according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau’s annual Hot Wheels report identifying the 10 most stolen vehicles in the nation. The report examines vehicle theft data submitted by law enforcement to the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) and determines the vehicle make, model and model year most reported stolen in 2015.

“While older vehicles still dominate our Hot Wheels most stolen list, the number of late-model vehicles with anti-theft protection on the list goes to show that technology isn’t foolproof,” said NICB president and chief executive officer Joe Wehrle. “Criminals are doing their best to defeat anti-theft technology through hacking and other means while, at the same time, manufacturers and others are working to improve security.

For 2015, the most stolen vehicles* in the nation were (total thefts in parentheses):

1.  1996 Honda Accord (52,244)

2.  1998 Honda Civic (49,430)

3.  2006 Ford Pickup (full size) (29,396)

4.  2004 Chevrolet Pickup (full size) (27,771)

5.  2014 Toyota Camry (15,466)

6.  2001 Dodge Pickup (full size) (11,212)

7.  2014 Toyota Corolla (10,547)

8.  2015 Nissan Altima (10,374)

9.  2002 Dodge Caravan (9,798)

10. 2008 Chevrolet Impala (9,225)

The following are the top 10 2015 model year vehicles stolen during calendar year 2015:

1. Nissan Altima (1,104)

2. Chrysler 200 (1,069)

3. Toyota Camry (923)

4. Toyota Corolla (776)

5. GMC Sierra (670)

6. Dodge Charger (666)

7. Hyundai Sonata (632)

8. Chevrolet Malibu (629)

9. Chevrolet Impala (594)

10. Chevrolet Cruze (586)

“Far too often, drivers leave their vehicles unlocked or with the keys inside, making it way too easy for an opportunistic thief,” Wehrle said. “And as we noted recently, many stolen cars are not reported as typical thefts to police because many of today’s thefts are financial crimes involving complicated VIN switching, cloning, straw buyers, illegal exports and other sophisticated criminal methods.”

NICB advises all drivers to review its four “Layers of Protection”:  

Common Sense: Lock your car and take your keys. It’s simple enough, but many thefts occur because owners make it easy for thieves to steal their cars.

Warning Device: Having and using a visible or audible warning device is another item that can ensure that your car remains where you left it.

Immobilizing Device: Generally speaking, if your vehicle can’t be started, it can’t be stolen. “Kill” switches, fuel cut-offs and smart keys are among the devices that are extremely effective.

Tracking Device: A tracking device emits a signal to the police or to a monitoring station when the vehicle is stolen.  Tracking devices are very effective in helping authorities recover stolen vehicles.  Some systems employ “telematics,” which 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.

Click here to view stolen vehicles by state.  

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 on our website. Or, download the NICB Fraud Tips app on your iPhone or Android device.

* Note: This report reflects stolen vehicle data contained in NCIC and present in the “NCIC mirror image” when accessed by NICB on March 5. NCIC records may contain errors based on inaccurate entries submitted by reporting agencies. Full size pickups include half ton and larger capacity models for all makes. Total thefts is the aggregate for each make/model with model year indicating the most stolen model year of all model years for each listing.