Pickup Trucks Are The Hottest Rides On The Road, But For The Wrong Reason

It should probably come as no surprise that some of the most popular vehicles among consumers are also those most favored by car thieves.

That would be full-size pickup trucks, which are perennially among the auto industry’s top selling models of any kind. They accounted for over 25% of all vehicles stolen during 2022, according to an annual report issued by the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB). More than 1 million car, truck, and SUV thefts were reported last year, which represents a 7% increase over 2021. That accounts for one motor vehicle taken every 32 seconds.

The NICB says that California and Texas led the nation with the most reported vehicle thefts last year, with either the Ford F-Series or Chevrolet Silverado pickups (currently the industry’s two best sellers) topping the lists of most-taken vehicles in 37 out of 51 states, including the District of Columbia.

Rather than flashy luxury SUVs or sports cars, the Bureau’s list of the 10 most-stolen models are again rather nondescript well-worn rides, including older versions of the Honda Accord and Civic and the Toyota Camry that might otherwise blend into a crowded parking lot.

Generally, older high-volume vehicles are taken most often because they’re worth more than the sum of their parts, so to speak. They’re typically driven off, or even towed away to a “chop shop” where they’re dismantled into components that can be passed off to unscrupulous vendors and sold to repair shops and consumers, often via the Internet. Some thieves can strip a vehicle of its most valuable components—especially the precious-metals-packed catalytic converter—right where it’s parked.

Hyundai and Kia models have quickly climbed the most-stolen charts, now accounting for three of the top 10 models in this regard, which is up from zero in previous years. This is due largely to social media posts showing would-be crooks how to start up and subsequently drive off models from those brands that lack critical engine immobilizer technology. Police in major cities have reported substantial increases in Hyundai and Kia thefts, despite the automakers issuing a software-based security fix earlier this year.

And then there are a startling number of victims that practically begged to have their vehicles driven off illegally. These are the mopes who lazily live the keys or keyless entry fob within the car, usually while dashing into a convenience store or gas station, or with the engine running to warm its cabin while parked before hitting the road during the winter months. The NICB says this level of abject neglect accounted for 11% of all vehicle thefts reported in the U.S. during 2021.

If there’s a silver lining to this storm, it’s that a whopping 85% of all stolen cars, trucks, and SUVs last year were eventually recovered by law enforcement. NICB data shows that 34% of the vehicles recovered were located on the same day as the theft, with 45% recovered within two days of being reported. That makes reporting a vehicle theft to the police in a timely manner essential to its being returned to an owner; it also provides a tangible record of the incident for insurance purposes in the event it remains at large or is found with substantial damage.

Otherwise, as the saying goes, a good offense is always the best defense when it comes to protecting one of a family’s biggest investments. For starters, auto security experts advise motorists always park in a well-lit areas, lock the vehicle when unattended, never leave the keys or a remote key fob in a storage cubby or cup holder and always lock valuables in the trunk or otherwise hide them out of a smash-and-grab artist’s sight.

In addition, it’s always prudent to install an anti-theft device for an additional layer of vehicular security. At the least, this should be a simple hidden “kill switch” installed that disables the ignition system while parked, or a steering wheel lock that at the least adds an element of visual deterrent to the mix. A better solution is to use a tracking device—Apple’s AirTag can suffice for the least amount of money—or an automaker’s telematics system that leverages GPS for remote monitoring of a vehicle via a smartphone or personal computer.

The NICB also advises motorists to never leave a vehicle’s title, registration and insurance information in the glovebox, and remove the garage-door-opener transceiver from a vehicle when exiting the cabin. A thief rummaging through the glovebox can use the documentation to identify the owner’s address and enable the transceiver to gain access to whatever’s stored in the garage, and perhaps even access the rest of the house if it’s attached to the rest of the building.

Here then are the 10 most stolen vehicles in the U.S. during 2022, according to the NICB, with the most “popular” model year noted along with the total number of units from all model years taken:

1. Chevrolet Silverado (2004): 49,903
2. Ford F-Series (2006): 48,175
3. Honda Civic (2000): 27,113
4. Honda Accord (1997): 27,089
5. Hyundai Sonata (2013): 21,707
6. Hyundai Elantra (2017): 19,602
7. Kia Optima (2015): 18,221
8. Toyota Camry (2021): 17,094
9. GMC Sierra (2005): 16,622
10. Honda CR-V (2001): 13,832

You can find the full report, including the 10 most stolen vehicles by state, here.