While motor vehicle thefts seem to be a crime more prevalent in movies than in the real world, the reality is that car thefts increased by 29 percent in the United States in 2023. The most stolen vehicle from 2010 to 2020 was the Honda Accord in the United States but in the last couple of years, Chevrolet and Ford Pickup Trucks have vaulted up the list ahead of Honda Accords.

According to the New Jersey Auto Theft Task Force, there are 44 vehicles stolen each day in the state and various municipalities in The Garden State have attempted to gain their residents' attention to this issue. From Wall Township to Avalon to Secaucus, many towns are reminding their residents to lock their vehicles and park them in well-lighted areas to help deter potential car thieves.

Data from the National Insurance Crime Bureau shows that these five vehicles are the highest targets for car thieves in New Jersey:

Jeep Grand Cherokee is top five target of car thieves in New Jersey
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5. Jeep Grand Cherokee - 2.4% of automotive thefts in New Jersey
Many of the parts inside a Jeep Grand Cherokee can be used as replacement parts for other vehicles. Car thieves can make big money from these automotive parts and then dump the gutted vehicle at a local junkyard.

Honda Civic is top five target of car thieves in New Jersey
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4. Honda Civic - 2.9% of vehicle thefts in New Jersey
Another vehicle with valuable parts that automotive thieves can make big money from. But also, Honda Civics are easy to customize so a car thief may sell some of the parts for a quick payday and then rebuild the rest of the car so it is unrecognizable compared to how it looked when they stole it.

Honda CR-V is top five target of car thieves in New Jersey
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3. Honda CR-V - 2.9% of automotive thefts in New Jersey
Catalytic Converters are a valuable automotive part and easy for car thieves to steal from a Honda CR-V. Also, most CR-V parts can used for any Honda or Acura which makes the selling of the parts a valuable payday for thieves.

Ford Pickup Truck is top five target of car thieves in New Jersey
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2. Ford Full Size Pickup - 2.9% of all vehicle thefts in New Jersey
Aside from selling automotive parts, the types of metal inside Pickup Trucks are valuable for Car Thieves. The bigger the truck, the more valuable metals are available for a thief to sell. Also, trucks can be refurbished and sold to businesses that need them.

Honda Accord is top five target of car thieves in New Jersey
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1. Honda Accord - 4.8% of all automotive thefts in New Jersey
The most stolen car in 9 states, the Honda Accord has plenty of sellable parts for car thieves to make money from. Plus, like the Honda Civic, the Accord can be completely rebuilt to look nothing like the vehicle that was stolen and then resold by the car thief.

To further protect yourself from thieves, here is some important information you need to know about how criminals think who would invade your home to steal what is important to you and your family:

10 'Secret Spots' Burglars Check First When Invading New Jersey Homes

Gallery Credit: Eddie Davis

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