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Car thieves are using technology to their advantage to gain access to vehicles.

According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), the national rate of car theft rose 1.3 percent in 2012 after declining for eight consecutive years.

The National Insurance Crime Bureau released its Hot Wheels report today, listing the 10 most stolen vehicles in the United States. The report examins vehicle theft data submitted by law enforcement to the National Crime Information Center to determine the most reported stolen cars.

U.S. auto thefts may be at their lowest rate in 40 years, but if you’re a resident of Fresno, CA there’s a good chance you’re in disbelief. That’s because Fresno holds the title of the number one city for car thefts.

In a report issues by the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), Fresno has risen from fifth in the nation last year with a spike in car crime totaling of 7,559 vehicles stolen as compared to 5,875 in 2009. Fresno leads its California neighbor Modesta, which placed second in the NICB study, by a significant margin averaging 812.4 car thefts per 100,000 people.

Third place on the list belongs to yet another California city, Bakersfield. In fact, eight of the top 10 cities for car theft are in the Golden State, with the remaining two also on the West Coast in Washington State.

So far this year vehicle theft rates are down significantly, dropping 7.2 percent over the year before. It that number holds, 2011 will prove to have the lowest vehicle theft rate since 1967.

Hit the jump for a list of the Top 10 Cities for Car theft in 2010:

With so many people falling on hard times in this economy, some folks will do anything to earn a buck. That includes faking a car accident to make ends meet.

According to a recent report from the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), questionable claims (QC) resulting from staged accidents have increased 46 percent from 2007 through 2009. On a somewhat positive note, legitimate insurance claims have shrunken a bit, but this is only because there are fewer cars on the road, a by-product of fewer jobs.

What makes this type of crime so popular is that unless someone becomes suspicious, many of these staged accidents go undetected. Along with the fact that it’s a criminal offence and they defraud insurance companies out of millions of dollars (which in turn raises the premiums for the rest of us), staged accidents often involve innocent victims who are obeying the law, and can result in serious injury and death.

Florida takes the lead in all states with 3,006 QCs in 2009, with New York following in second with 1,680. Rounding out the top five are California (1,619), Texas (792) and Illinois (433). Out of the top offending cities, New York City leads the way, but Florida comes in strong with three offending cities (Tampa, 562; Miami, 511; and Orlando, 422). Houston closes out the list with 376 QCs.

The NICB has created a series of videos that get the message across by demonstrating some of the most common types of staged accidents. You can watch them at www.nicb.org.

Official release after the jump:

A pair of Honda models hold the top two spots in the top ten most stolen vehicles in 2008.

The 1994 Honda Accord was number one while the 1995 Civic came in second on the list compiled by the National Insurance Crime Bureau’s (NICB) Hot Wheels 2009 report. The report examined data from the National Crime Information Center to determine the make, model and year of the vehicles most reported stolen across the U.S. in 2008.

All of the top ten stolen vehicles were from 2004 and earlier, with the oldest model, the 1989 Toyota Camry, in third. According to the NICB, older cars and trucks are popular with thieves because their parts are more valuable. Thieves would strip cars down at underground chop shops and sell the parts for at least twice the value of the original vehicle on the used car market. The NICB says newer cars are less attractive to thieves because they have more anti-theft features.

For 2008 the most stolen vehicles were:

1.    1994 Honda Accord
2.    1995 Honda Civic
3.    1989 Toyota Camry
4.    1997 Ford F-150 Pickup
5.    2004 Dodge Ram Pickup
6.    2000 Dodge Caravan
7.    1996 Jeep Cherokee/Grand Cherokee
8.    1994 Acura Integra
9.    1999 Ford Taurus
10.    2002 Ford Explorer
Overall, vehicle thefts were down 13.1 percent from 2007 figures, according to preliminary findings from the 2008 FBI Uniform Crime Report. That would make 2008 the fifth consecutive year that vehicle thefts had decreased. The report is still collecting information but total thefts may total under a million for the first time in 20 years.

“This is great news for vehicle owners, law enforcement and the insurance industry,” said Joe Wehrle, NICB president and chief executive officer. “It takes years of sustained effort to deliver the kinds of reductions that we are enjoying today. NICB joins with our member companies in acknowledging the great work performed by law enforcement and our investigators in the fight against vehicle theft.

“Comprehensive legislation, aggressive enforcement and rigorous prosecution are the three essential components to a winning crime control program. NICB is proud to contribute to each of those areas through our national legislative affairs program and our network of experienced investigators.”

The NICB urges vehicle owners to follow its “layered approach” to preventing theft:
-Common sense: Lock your car and take the keys with you.
-Warning device: Visible and audible warning devices deter thieves.
-Immobilizing device: Kill switches, fuel cut-offs and smart keys are effective.
-Tracking device: In the event of a theft, tracking devices send signals that help authorities recover stolen vehicles.

Official release after the jump: