These cars and trucks are thieves' biggest targets in Kansas
Have you become a victim of this crime trend?
TOPEKA (KSNT) - A national crime monitoring organization is revealing which vehicles are seen as the top choices for thieves to target in Kansas.
27 News reached out to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) to learn which vehicles are being targeted the most by thieves in the Sunflower State. While Kansas ranks low in overall vehicle theft statistics when compared with other states, hundreds of stolen vehicles were still recorded in the state in 2023.
In total, there were 8,289 vehicle thefts recorded by the NICB for 2023, a slight decrease from 2022 which saw 8,696 instances of theft. The top 10 most popular vehicles to steal by thieves included the following:
- Chevrolet Silverado 1500 - 282
- Ford F150 Series/Pickup - 228
- Dodge Ram Pickup - 226
- Hyundai Elantra Kia Optima - 209
- Ford F250 Series/Pickup - 187
- Hyundai Sonata - 136
- Ford F350 Series/Pickup - 121
- Honda Civic - 119
- Honda Accord - 110
- Dodge Charger - 107
Larger population centers, such as Kansas City and Wichita, were prone to increased vehicle thefts as compared to smaller urban areas. A breakdown of where the most vehicle thefts were reported in 2023 include the following:
- Kansas City, MO-KS - 13,953
- Wichita - 2,768
- Topeka - 867
- Lawrence - 184
- Manhattan - 110
More than 1 million vehicles were reportedly stolen last year, according to the NICB. This information was gathered through data from the National Crime Information Center (NCIC).
Statistics released by the NICB in early May showed which vehicles are being targeted by thieves the most nationwide. For 2023, thieves chose the Hyundai Elantra the most with more than 48,000 thefts reported nationally.
- Hyundai Elantra - 48,445
- Hyundai Sonata - 42,813
- Kia Optima - 30,204
- Chevrolet Silverado 1500 - 23,721
- Kia Soul - 21,001
- Honda Accord - 20,895
- Honda Civic - 19,858
- Kia Forte - 16,209
- Ford F150 Series Pickup - 15,852
- Kia Sportage - 15,749
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) recommends vehicle owners invest in anti-theft systems to prevent thieves from stealing their cars and trucks easily. This includes installing immobilization devices which stop thieves from bypassing a vehicle's ignition system and hot-wiring your vehicle or making sure your alarm is working properly. More theft prevention tips can be found by clicking here.
The NICB is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to fighting insurance fraud and crime that was formed in 1992. It regularly educates the public about crime trends regarding vehicle theft, contractor fraud and scams. You can learn more about the NICB by clicking here.
For more crime news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here.
Follow Matthew Self on X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/MatthewLeoSelf