I've seen "stolen car" lists that also broke it down by the model year stolen.
What you see is a pattern where the model years correspond with years where that
model was one of the high-volume sellers in that year. For instance, well into
the '90s, the Oldsmobile Cutlass Supremes of the early-to-mid '80s topped the
charts. Toyota Camrys and Honda Accords moved up the list as they gained in
popularity. Why? Obviously, more examples of a particular model mean more out
there to be stolen, but also the demand for crash parts increases with the
number of units out there.
"Crash parts", for those who haven't encountered this term, are the
easily-replaceable bits most often damaged in collisions -- bumper fascias,
front fenders, doors, hoods, etc. In a somewhat ironic twist, the trend by most
insurance companies to increasingly specify used or "quality replacement parts"
(translation: cheaply made knock-off parts from Taiwan or Korea) increases the
demand for "good used parts". Where better to get good used parts than off a
freshly-stolen car?
Jim Crider
Repaired a fair number of theft-recovery vehicles for the insurance companies
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