Modesto, CA Tops List of Auto Theft Hot Spots

Posted on July 30, 2008
Filed Under Criminal Law, Felonies, Grand Theft Auto, Law, News, Theft, misdemeanor |

California is a hot spot for car thieves. In number of vehicle thefts, California was No. 1 in a report just released by the National Insurance Crime Bureau. Of the top five cities for auto theft, four are in California. Las Vegas (#2 on the NICB list) was the only non-California city to make the top five. 

With 5,358 car thefts reported in 2007, Modesto took top honors. San Diego was ranked third, followed by Stockton and San Francisco. Rounding out the top ten were:

  6. Laredo, Texas
  7. Albuquerque, New Mexico
  8. Phoenix, Arizona
  9. Yakima, Washington
10. Tucson, Arizona

“One huge factor is that there are more vehicles in California than any other state, making it a target-rich environment to begin with,” said NICB spokesman Frank Scafidi. Proximity to seaports and international borders which facilitate the transportation of stolen vehicles increases the risk factor, the report noted.

Interestingly, car thieves generally prefer older cars to new cars. There’s a huge demand for black market auto parts in foreign countries. According to the NICB report, the 1995 Honda Civic remains the most stolen car in America. Other top 10 auto thief favorites were:

1991 Honda Accord
1989 Toyota Camry
1997 Ford F-150
1994 Chevrolet C/K 1500
1994 Acura Integra
2004 Dodge Ram pickup
1994 Nissan Sentra
1988 Toyota Pickup
2007 Toyota Corolla

Stealing a vehicle is called Grand Theft Auto and is a serious crime in California. A charge of grand theft auto requires that the vehicle be valued at more than $400. Depending on the circumstances and prior record, the theft can be charged as either a felony or misdemeanor. Misdemeanor sentences can result in up to one year in county jail and three years of probation with fines, restitution and community service. If charged as a felony, sentences can range from 16 months to 3 years in state prison. If there are multiple offenses, sentences increase under California’s Three Strikes Law. An experienced grand theft auto attorney can protect your rights.

-LegalPro

Written by LegalPro

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