Thieves Target Pickups in Texas

According to the Texas Department of Transportation, American-made pickup trucks are the most popular vehicles for thieves to steal in the state. And those most often stolen are not necessarily new.

TxDOT named the General Motors pickup, the Ford pickup, the Honda Accord, the Chevrolet Suburban and the Toyota Camry as the top five stolen vehicles in Texas. The department added that auto thefts peak during the summer.

During July’s “Watch Your Car Month,” the Texas Automobile Theft Prevention Authority and TxDOT warn Texans they need to actively protect themselves against vehicle theft even if they drive an old vehicle instead of a shiny new one. The average stolen vehicle is five years old and is targeted for its used parts.

In 2001, 102,838 motor vehicles were stolen in Texas, according to Texas Department of Public Safety Uniform Crime Report figures. Also in 2001, motor vehicle theft totaled $805,364,428, with an average dollar loss per motor vehicle theft of $7,886.