The Toyota Prius was named the least-likely car to be stolen of the year yesterday by the National Insurance Crime Bureau. This has to be considered great news for the Toyota considering Prius sales have also increased the past four consecutive years.
Over 1.2 million Toyota Prius models have been purchased since the car was released in 2000 according to Zap2It.com. Of those cars sold, only 2,439 cars have been stolen since the car was released.
"The Toyota Prius is the top selling hybrid electric vehicle in the U.S. With over 1.2 million sold in the U.S. as of April 2012, it makes up half of all the hybrids on the road," said the NICB in a press release. "Yet, despite its growing popularity, an analysis of Prius theft data from NCIC shows that they have both an exceptionally low theft rate and a markedly high recovery rate."
Less than 10 Prius models were stolen in states like Alabama, Idaho, Maine, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Vermont and West Virginia.
The study also showed from 2008 to 2010 only one of every 78 Prius vehicles were stolen.
Click here to see the full press release issued by NICB.
The NICB didn't speculate why the car was the least-likely to be stolen in the U.S., but it could be the fact that criminals just don't like hybrid vehicles.
It's easiest for car thieves to steal a car and then sell specific parts of the vehicle instead of the whole thing, but with Prius models that can be a little tricky.
The vehicle comes with a one-of-a-kind engine that can't be used in any other car around, so selling it wouldn't be helpful unless someone really needed a new engine for there own Prius. Parts that keep Prius models together are also designed to last drivers a long time, so the chance that someone would need a specific part is also not that likely.
It's not all good news for Prius however, as the car made the most-likely to be stolen list in five states like California, Florida, Texas, Washington, and New York.
No car is completely theft-proof, but you at least have a better shot at keeping a Prius than keeping any other car in the world.
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