1994 Honda Accord was the most stolen vehicle in the U.S. in 2008

1994 Honda Accord

The National Insurance Crime Bureau has released its popular list of most stolen vehicles for the year 2008. The 1994 Honda Accord dethroned the 1995 Honda Civic as the most stole vehicle in the nation for last year, while the 1989 Toyota Camry came in at number 3.

“Although the final numbers have not yet been released, the preliminary 2008 FBI Uniform Crime Report shows that vehicle theft is on pace to a record decrease of 13.1 percent from 2007 numbers,” the NICB said in a statement. “That would make 2008 the fifth consecutive year of declining vehicle thefts.”

“This is great news for vehicle owners, law enforcement and the insurance industry,” said Joe Wehrle, NICB’s president and chief executive officer. “It takes years of sustained effort to deliver the kinds of reductions that we are enjoying today. NICB joins with our member companies in acknowledging the great work performed by law enforcement and our investigators in the fight against vehicle theft.”

Check out the full list after the jump and check out NICB’s four tips on how you can keep your car from being stolen.

For 2008, the most stolen vehicles in the nation were:

1. 1994 Honda Accord
2. 1995 Honda Civic
3. 1989 Toyota Camry
4. 1997 Ford F-150 Pickup
5. 2004 Dodge Ram Pickup
6. 2000 Dodge Caravan
7. 1996 Jeep Cherokee/Grand Cherokee
8. 1994 Acura Integra
9. 1999 Ford Taurus
10. 2002 Ford Explorer

NICB’s four layers of protection are:

Common Sense: Lock your car and take your keys. It’s simple enough but many thefts occur because owners make it easy for thieves to steal their cars.

Warning Device: Having and using a visible or audible warning device is another item that can ensure that your car remains where you left it.

Immobilizing Device: Generally speaking, if your car won’t start, it won’t get stolen. “Kill” switches, fuel cut-offs and smart keys are among the devices which are extremely effective.

Tracking Device: A tracking device emits a signal to the police or to a monitoring station when the vehicle is stolen. Tracking devices are very effective in helping authorities recover stolen vehicles. Some systems employ “telematics” which combine GPS and wireless technologies to allow remote monitoring of a vehicle. If the vehicle is moved the system will alert the owner and the vehicle can be tracked via computer.

– By: Omar Rana