SAN DIEGO — Vehicle thefts are on the rise in San Diego.
In 2021, San Diego Police responded to more stolen vehicle calls than it has in the past four years.
CBS 8 wanted to take a deeper look at just what type of vehicles thieves target the most in the city of San Diego.
According to data obtained by CBS 8, from January 2021 through August of this year, car thieves went after Honda sedans the most out of any car manufacturer, with owners of Honda Civics calling nearly twice as often as owners of any other car model.
But there was more bad news for Honda owners, as the Accord and its CR-V model came in second and fifth respectively. The Chevy Silverado and Jeep Wrangler finished out the top five most stolen vehicles in San Diego since January of last year.
San Diego's numbers are somewhat similar to those seen nationally. According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, Chevy and Ford full-size pick-up trucks ranked first and second for top stolen vehicles in 2021, followed by the Honda Civic and Honda Accord.
Will Kaufman, news editor for Edmunds, says the reason Honda Civics and Accords are at the top of local and national stolen vehicle lists is simple: many of them are on the road.
"These vehicles are among San Diego’s, and the nation’s, most stolen because there are a lot of them on the road, so parts are in high demand, especially for older models. Those older vehicles are also more susceptible since they usually lack the anti-theft technology you'll find on newer cars."
As is the case throughout the nation, San Diego has seen an increase in stolen vehicles since 2018.
According to data from the city of San Diego, police dispatchers saw a huge spike in calls for stolen vehicles in 2021.
As for what owners of older cars can do to prevent their cars or trucks from getting stolen, Kaufman says to stick to the basics.
"The standard car theft prevention tactics still apply and are good reminders: make sure your car is locked, windows are rolled up, valuables are removed, and parked in a garage or well-lit area when possible. You can install a tracking device or aftermarket security like an alarm system or engine immobilizer on your vehicle."
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