Get a quote and buy now >>

Newsroom

About us

Thieves favourite cars

01 Oct 2008

Download the full media release here.

Auckland – 1 October 2008 – AA Insurance today revealed its list of the ten models of cars most attractive to thieves, following an analysis of theft claims made for vehicles insured by the company over the last four years.  Nissan Silvia heads the list, followed by the Subaru Impreza and the BMW 325 coupe, of cars stolen more often than average. 

To calculate theft incidence AA Insurance measured theft claims by model for cars on which it held policies.  It expressed the data as a percentage of total cars of that model insured and then ranked models and identified the top ten targets.

Top 10 targets 

1.    Nissan Silvia            
2.    Subaru Impreza WRX        
3.    BMW 325 coupe        
4.    Nissan 200SX            
5.    Mazda Lantis            
6.    Subaru Legacy turbo          
7.    Subaru Impreza non-turbo   
8.    Nissan Skyline            
9.    Subaru Legacy non-turbo    
10.    Honda Prelude            

“It’s important to point out that this list is no reflection on the security features offered by the various vehicle manufacturers, but shows the model preferences of car thieves as experienced by AA Insurance policyholders who filed claims for theft,” says Chris Curtin, CEO, AA Insurance.  “It does not take into account other insurers’ data, but we are a sizeable insurer of motor vehicles and releasing this information serves as a reminder that people need to take all reasonable steps to prevent theft.”

Contrary to popular belief, your car is at risk from thieves even when close to home.  The 2008 AA Insurance Drivers Index, which surveyed 2,573 New Zealand drivers aged 18-75, found some 26 percent of thefts occurred when the car was parked at home in the garage, carport or driveway.  Some 16 percent of thefts occurred when the car was parked at home on the street or a nearby street.
Over one third of people whose cars had been stolen (36 percent) thought they could have done more to prevent the theft. 

Yet when those who regularly don’t lock their cars were asked about where they left them unlocked, almost a quarter said they don’t lock their car at home, with 23 percent saying they don’t lock their car when it’s parked outside their house, and 22 percent say they don’t lock their car when it’s parked in the garage at home.

Some 40 percent of New Zealanders don’t bother to investigate security features when looking to buy a new car, according to AA Insurance.

The most commonly used security feature is a security coded or removable stereo system, with 26 percent of those surveyed using one of these in their car.  The second most popular security feature was an alarm, used by 25 percent of those surveyed.  And 23 percent of people used an immobiliser to increase their car’s security.  But a quarter of those surveyed don’t have any added security at all to help keep their car safe.

 

Key contacts

Stefanie Haydock

Position: Communications Team Leader, AA Insurance

DDI: (09) 966 8403

Mobile: 021 937 884

Email: communications|at|aainsurance|dot|co.nz

Amelia Macandrew

Position: Customer Relations Manager,
AA Insurance

DDI: (09) 966 8445

Mobile: 021 452 777

Email: communications|at|aainsurance|dot|co.nz

Allan Botica

Position: Director, Botica Butler Raudon Public Relations

DDI: (09) 303 3862

Mobile: 021 400 500

Email: allanb|at|botica|dot|co.nz