Vehicle thefts statewide decreased by 8 percent last year, following a decrease of 5 .5 percent in 2006, the California Highway Patrol reports.
"These numbers reflect the hard work of law enforcement and the public and while they are encouraging, there's still a lot of work to be done," said Joe Farrow, California Highway Patrol commissioner, in a news release.
According to the CHP, last year 227,412 vehicles were stolen in California. On average, a vehicle is stolen every three minutes in the state. The estimated total value of the vehicles was $1.4 billion. Of the vehicles stolen, 88.2 percent were successfully recovered.
Among the 58 counties in California, Mono County showed the biggest reduction in the percentage of vehicles stolen at 66.7 percent. Monterey County had a 48 percent increase in the number of vehicles stolen last year.
Approximately 55 percent of all vehicle thefts occurred in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and San Diego counties.
Farrow offered these anti-theft tips for motorists:
- "Don't make it easy for thieves, lock the doors and take the keys with you," he said.
- Park in a well-lit, populated area.
- Don't warm up or leave your vehicle running unattended.
- Consider a visible or audible device that alerts thieves the vehicle is protected.
- Immobilizing devices prevent thieves from bypassing the ignition and hotwiring a vehicle.
- Tracking devices can be very effective in helping authorities recover stolen vehicles.
Other facts, according to the CHP: Honda and Toyota continue to be popular among car thieves. Toyota has ranked as the most frequently stolen pickup truck since 1984.
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