Honda Accord, Civic Most Popular Stolen Vehicles

Of the 52,000 Honda Accords stolen in 2010, some 44,000 of them were models made in the ’90s, the non-profit group said. Older cars and models are typically stolen for the value of their parts, while newer cars are typically stolen and then resold, the bureau says.

The 1995 Honda Civic and 1994 Acura Integra — which placed second and eighth, respectively — are popular among car thieves because their engines are easily swappable. You can place the more powerful Integra powertrain into a more lightweight Civic, for example. Both models are popular with street racers and car remodeling enthusiasts, so demand for parts is strong.

Even though more than 700,000 vehicles were stolen last year, the bureau says auto theft is at an all-time low. At the same time, the cars being stolen aren’t being recovered as often. National recovery rates for stolen vehicles have hit an all-time low, according to the FBI. Only about 57% of all vehicles are recovered after being stolen.

Common-sense measures, such as locking your car doors and not leaving your vehicle idling unattended, can prevent theft. Electronic vehicle tracking systems, such as LoJack and OnStar, can also help improve recovery.

Continue reading below for the full top 10 list of the most stolen cars for 2010.

1.  1994 Honda Accord 
2.  1995 Honda Civic 
3.  1991 Toyota Camry 
4.  1999 Chevrolet full-size pickup 
5.  1997 Ford F-150 series 
6.  2004 Dodge Ram 
7.  2000 Dodge Caravan 
8.  1994 Acura Integra 
9.  2002 Ford Explorer 
10. 1999 Ford Taurus