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DES PLAINES, Ill. — The latest report from the National Insurance Crime Bureau indicated a double-digit decline in motorcycle thefts during 2009.

NICB discovered that a total of 56,093 motorcycles were reported stolen to law enforcement last year. Officials pointed out the total represented a 13-percent decline from the 2008 figure, which was 64,492.

Breaking down the data by brand, the top five makes stolen last year were:

—Honda, 13,688

—Yamaha, 11,148

—Suzuki, 9,154

—Kawasaki, 5,911

—Harley-Davidson, 3,529

NICB pointed out those five brands combined to account for 77.4 percent of the annual total.

Looking at the report by geography, officials mentioned that the top five states with the most motorcycle theft activity were:

—California, 6,273

—Texas, 5,526

—Florida, 5,009

—North Carolina, 3,045

—Georgia, 2,067

Officials said those five states constituted 39 percent of the 2009 total.

The time of the year when motorcycles likely would be used most also represented the points when most thefts occurred.

NICB's report found that the most thefts came in the summer months of July (6,319), August (6,079) and June (5,672). Conversely, the fewest thefts occurred in the winter months of December (2,927), February (3,100) and January (3,570).

"While overall thefts are down, reflecting the continuing decline in thefts of passenger vehicles and light trucks, another possible factor contributing to the decline is that there are fewer targets to steal in the first place," NICB officials interjected.

They came to that projection because according to the Motorcycle Industry Council, sales between 2008 and 2009 dropped 40.8 percent. NICB also noted that the Japanese Automobile Manufacturers Association reported a 47.4 percent decrease in production last year as compared to 2008 figures.