by Firstly, flashy convertibles are extremely recognisable and secondly, their parts may not be the most marketable.
Criminals target cars that are popular, unassuming and whose parts can be used in many vehicles.
A few guidelines to consider before you buy a car
Popularity
The more popular a brand of car, the more attractive it is to a criminal. Once they have stolen a car they will need to get rid of the parts quickly, and so a popular car’s parts would be easy to sell at a discounted price.
How easy is it to steal your car?
Want to hear a scary fact? Some cars can be started using just a screwdriver. Car alarms do not seem to deter criminals anymore, so make sure you lock, every time.
The presence of a gear or steering lock has reportedly also made criminals more likely to steal your car over a car without one. The idea is that if you have this on the car, you have something of value in the car.
Know your car
Do you know if your car has the same parts that could work in a taxi or many other model types? This information is vital when looking at a car to buy as it can make you an easy target.
The age of your car
Criminals suspect older cars do not have tracking devices. So catch them at their own game!
Take a look at the most commonly stolen cars
*Note – whilst this is a 2008 list, it can be used as a guideline when buying a new car:
| Car Model | Stolen |
| TOYOTA HIACE | 1119 |
| NISSAN 1400 | 507 |
| TOYOTA HILUX | 497 |
| TOYOTA VENTURE | 270 |
| TOYOTA COROLLA | 209 |
| NISSAN HARDBODY | 141 |
| MITS COLT | 125 |
| ISUZU KB280 | 122 |
| ISUZU KB250 | 114 |
| VW CITI GOLF | 103 |
| TOYOTA CONQUEST | 88 |
| BMW 318 | 77 |
| VW CHICO GOLF | 75 |
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