Every year, the Highway Loss Data Institute compiles a list of the 10 most stolen vehicles. The study is based on car theft frequency, which is the number of reported thefts of insured vehicles for every 1,000 vehicles on the road.
HLDI's list is different from other reports because it includes both completely stolen vehicles and vehicles that had something stolen from them.
This is a list any carmaker doesn't want to land on. It also proves that if you own a new pickup, you might want to opt for the upgraded car alarm: Trucks made up eight of the 10 most stolen or broken-into vehicles in 2011.
10. Chrysler 300 Hemi
It’s no surprise criminals are going for a vehicle with the bigger Hemi and with more sporty or blingy accents. This is one of several larger cars that appear on the list.
9. GMC Yukon
HLDI groups all the GMC Yukon models together, including the short and long wheelbases as well as the Denali. It's no surprise the latter is the favorite target. On average, 6.4 Yukons are broken into or stolen for every 1,000 on the road, with an average claim cost of more than $6,600.
8. Chevrolet Avalanche
The Avalanche not only affirms the growing trend of thieves favoring domestic brands, but also that the Avalanche is becoming quite popular with thieves who like to strip out interiors and sell to pawn shops and used-parts dealers. Many of the interior upgrades can be sold for use on many other GM pickups and full-size SUVs.
7. Ford F-350 Super Crew
No research has been done to determine if thieves are stealing these big tow vehicles to steal other smaller cars, but the big Fords seem quite popular. Seven of every 1,000 vehicles sustain about $9,000 worth of damage.
6. Chrysler 300 V-6
The Chrysler 300 V-6 is a popular car to steal because of its fuel saving technology, oddly enough. Perhaps even thieves want to save money on gas.
5. GMC Sierra 1500 Crew Cab
Thieves don't necessarily seem biased toward or against GMC or Chevy, but they do appear to be drawn to four-doors. This GMC pickup has an insurance claim frequency of 7.4 for every 1,000 vehicles, with just over a $6,000 repair average.
4. Ford F-450 Super Duty Super Crew
Another popular target is the Ford F-450 Super Crew 4WD Super Duty, which makes sense since most of the non-commercial models have the King Ranch option package. The average cost of repairs is markedly higher than any other vehicle on the list, with a repair cost of almost $12,000 on average.
3. Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Crew Cab
Like a rock, some thieves are still staying true to domestic-made vehicles even as we near the top three most stolen vehicles of 2011. Almost 10 Silverado half-tons out of 1,000 were stolen in 2011, with an average repair cost under $5,000.
2. Ford F-250 Super Duty Super Crew
The most popular Ford F-Series is the smaller Super Duty, with almost 10 out of 1,000 incurring damage or worse. The average cost of a payment from the insurance company is almost $9,500.
1. Cadillac Escalade
Like with the Yukon, HLDI combines all the Escalade models into one category, averaging out to 10.4 reports per 1,000 insured Escalades; however, if you break out the Escalade EXT, it has a claim frequency of 14 per 1,000 vehicles, or eight times more than the average.
