Car thieves avoiding Toyota Prius

The National Insurance Crime Bureau has taken a closer look at how often car thieves target the Toyota Prius. As it turns out, the most popular hybrid on US roads has a very low theft rate, and when it does get stolen, law enforcement are quick to return the machine to its rightful owners. All told, 2008-2012 Prius models saw a theft rate of one in 606 vehicles compared to one in 78 for all models on the road from the same model year period. Just 2,439 Prius hybrids were stolen in the US between September 4, 2000 and June 30, 2012.

Not surprisingly, California holds the dubious honor of taking the lion's share of those thefts, with 1,062. Florida took second place with 127, followed by New York, Washington and Texas. Toyota has sold 1.2 million Prius models in the US, which means the vehicle constitutes more than half of all hybrid vehicles on the road today.

http://www.autoblog.com/2012/11/21/c...-toyota-prius/

 

of course they have low theft numbers, why would anyone want a Prius

 

I'm thinking the low power and cumbersome handling would deter anyone from stealing one should they have the 5-0 on their tail

 

That is a dangerous car for a thief to steal as they have a high risk falling asleep in the middle of stealing it because of how boring that toaster oven is. Then the thief wakes up just to find cops surrounding it, most of them yawning.

 

Hey, I represent that! LOL

 

Sorry bro, sometimes getting great fuel mileage isn't that exciting.

 

just wait a few years when the batteries start going--then the theft rate will kick right up.

 

^ Beat me to it

 

that's what TRD accessories are for

 

Hoovey's got a point (it's relatively easy for cops to pursue)....but I think the main reason it's shunned by thieives is that driving a typical Prius is about as much fun as watching paint dry, even by my conservative standards. The typical Prius owner (though, admittedly, this is somewhat of a stereotype) probably also spends a lot of time on his or her bicycle.

 

Article is misleading and incomplete. One reads the title and thinks they are going to discover WHY thieves are avoiding them. Now we are left to guess. I don't think it's the boring ride or slow speed. Most cars are stolen for parts and the black market. The unconventional Pruis obviously doesn't have much customizing desire to support this.

 

Batteries have been lasting 200K miles and up. A rebuilt drive battery is under $1K.

 

Sort of OT but I had to post it.

 

^^^ LOL, that's awesome.