Older Cars Popular with Thieves

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Story Published: Nov 5, 2009 at 7:00 PM PST

By Ryan Simms

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YAKIMA -- Older model vehicles are proving to be quite popular with car thieves.

Inside the impound lot of Yakima PD, there are no real surprises. Older model Hondas are regularly stolen in a city that ranks high in auto theft.

In both Yakima and Tri Cities, Honda Accords from 1992 and 1993 are the prime target for car thieves . One in ten is an Accord model. And the older the car, the more attractive it is to steal.

"In those years that the cars were built, they probably had more vulnerability than they do now," says Sargent Brenda George, of Yakima Police.

Honda Civics don't fare much better. Mid-1990s models are attractive targets, as are Toyota Camries built between 1989 and 1991.

With cops so sure about which cars will be stolen, conventional wisdom would suggest that insurance companies would be less likely to offer coverage without a premium, but that's not the case.

"On an older car, you can have comprehensive coverage for three or four dollars a month," says State Farm's Joel Goesch.

In addition, car thieves often strike during the winter season.

"In the winter time, we see an increase of stolen vehicles because people start their cars, and leave them running unsecured," Sargent George tells Action News.

With temperatures dropping, police can't help but play that old broken record: Lock your car, and park in well-lit areas.

While older model Hondas and Toyotas may be the prime target for thieves, any car is at risk of being stolen if the right precautions aren't made.

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