What are the most stolen vehicles in the region? (VIDEO)

Michelle Basch, wtop.com

WASHINGTON – The latest lists of most stolen cars in the region don’t include luxury vehicles or brand new cars.

The 2000 Dodge Caravan was the vehicle reported stolen most often in Maryland last year, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, a not-for-profit organization which crunched the numbers of all vehicles reported stolen.

In D.C. it was a slightly older Caravan – the 1998 model – that was ripped off more than anything else on four wheels.

In Virginia, the 1994 Honda Accord was tops among car thieves in 2011.

Preliminary FBI crime statistics show the number of reported car thefts nationwide dropped 3.3 percent in 2011 compared to the year before, and is now the lowest since 1967.

Here are lists of the top 10 most stolen cars in each part of the area:

D.C.

1. Dodge Caravan 1998
2. Honda Accord 1996
3. Jeep Cherokee 2001
4. Honda Civic 2000
5. Toyota Camry 2007
6. Plymouth Voyager 1996
7. Jeep Grand Cherokee 1995
8. Ford Crown Victoria 2003
9. Dodge Stratus 2004
10. Dodge Intrepid 2002

Maryland

1. Dodge Caravan 2000
2. Honda Accord 1996
3. Honda Civic 2000
4. Ford Pickup (Full Size) 2006
5. Toyota Camry 2011
6. Toyota Corolla 2010
7. Ford Crown Victoria 1999
8. Nissan Maxima 1996
9. Plymouth Voyager 1999
10. Nissan Altima 2002

Virginia

1. Honda Accord 1994
2. Ford Pickup (Full Size) 2005
3. Honda Civic 2000
4. Toyota Camry 2011
5. Dodge Caravan 2000 and Toyota Corolla 2010 (tie)
6. Ford Explorer 2002
7. Chevrolet Pickup (Full Size) 1995
8. Nissan Altima 2006
9. Jeep Grand Cherokee 2005

Nationwide, here’s the list of the most stolen vehicles:

1. Honda Accord 1994
2. Honda Civic 1998
3. Ford Pickup (Full Size) 2006
4. Toyota Camry 1991
5. Dodge Caravan 2000
6. Acura Integra 1994
7. Chevrolet Pickup (Full Size) 1999
8. Dodge Pickup (Full Size) 2004
9. Ford Explorer 2002
10. Nissan Sentra 1994

While overall thefts have declined, the NICB finds a growing trend. Thieves are stealing late-model vehicles, the ones with sophisticated key code technology.

Thieves have figured out how to get the key code for a specific vehicle and have a replacement key made, according to NICB President and Chief Executive Officer Joe Wehrle.

More information on preventing auto theft can be found on NICB’s website.

Anyone with information about vehicle theft or insurance fraud can report it anonymously by calling toll-free 1-800-TEL-NICB (1-800-835-6422) or texting keyword “fraud” to TIP411 (847411).

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