09/02/2003 -- Cadillac Escalade Has Highest Theft

Discussion in 'Mobile Electronics News' started by The_Ancient, Oct 6, 2003.

  1. The_Ancient

    The_Ancient Full Member

    Cadillac Escalade Has Highest Theft Rate

    September 2, 2003 -- Washington - The Cadillac Escalade is the vehicle of choice for some entertainers and professional athletes. A study indicates it's the vehicle of choice for some car thieves as well.
    Thieves go after the $55,000 sport utility vehicle at a higher rate than any other vehicle, according to a report released Thursday by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, a research group funded by auto insurers.

    The report reviewed insurance claims for thefts or break-ins for 2000-2002 model year cars, then compared those claims to the total number of insurance policies for each of those vehicles.

    Based on theft claims per 1,000 insured vehicles, five of the top 10 vehicles stolen or broken-into are SUVs. The Dodge Stratus, ranked second on the list, was the four-door car stolen at the highest rate, according to the institute.

    Measured in raw numbers, the Toyota Camry has held the dubious distinction of being the most frequently stolen vehicle for six consecutive years, according to Chicago-based CCC Information Systems Inc., which tracks the total number of vehicles stolen.

    But the Camry didn't make it into the Insurance Institute's top 10 list because the Camry's percentage of theft claims is low compared with the large number of Camrys on the road.

    There are fewer Escalades on the road, but the SUVs are four times more likely to be stolen or broken into than the average vehicle, the institute said.

    Insurance Institute spokesman Russ Rader said the ratings are helpful for consumers, who may end up paying more to insure a vehicle with a higher likelihood of theft.

    According to the report, the Escalade averaged 10.3 theft claims per 1,000 insured vehicles, while the Dodge Stratus averaged 8.7 claims. The average number of claims for all vehicles was 2.6.

    The Escalade also had the highest average theft losses, with an average loss payment of $167 per insured vehicle, the report said. The Chevrolet Corvette convertible had the second-highest loss payment rate at $75. The average for all cars was $15.

    Cadillac spokesman Kerry Christopher said he does not know why the Escalade has such a high theft rate, noting that the vehicle's horn goes off to deter thieves and it has an immobilizer device so it cannot be started without a key.

    The Escalade also has had standard On-Star navigation since it debuted in 1999. That system makes it easier to recover vehicles after they are stolen, Christopher said.

    Jeff Johnson, the controller at Don Massey Cadillac in Lone Tree, Colo., said seven Escalades were stolen from his lot last November as part of a gang initiation.

    "They grabbed all the keys labeled 'Escalade,'" Johnson said. He said all seven vehicles were recovered because General Motors Corp. tracked their locations using the On-Star navigation.

    Johnson, who drives a 2004 Escalade, says he understands the appeal of the luxury SUV.

    "Because of its expense, it's a status symbol," Johnson said.

    In addition to the Escalade and the Stratus, the other cars on the list of the 10 targeted at the highest rate were the Mitsubishi Mirage, the Jeep Wrangler, the Lincoln Navigator 2-wheel drive SUV, the Dodge Intrepid, the Lincoln Navigator 4-wheel drive SUV, the Dodge Ram 1500 series pickup, the Ford Expedition and the Chrysler Sebring.

    -AP