Honda Civic named Canada's most stolen car

Canadian car thieves seem to have a peculiar taste for 10-year-old Honda Civics. For the fourth year in a row, the Civic leads the list of most stolen cars in Canada.

The 2000 and 1999 Civic SiR two-door are the number 1 and number 2 most stolen cars in Canada, according to the Insurance Bureau of Canada.

But those who prefer to drive big, lumbering luxury vehicles shouldn't be too smug. Two different model years of both the Cadillac Escalade and the Hummer H2 occupy four spots on the top-10 list.

Three models of the Acura and the Audi Quattro round out the IBC's list of the top-10 stolen vehicles.

While figures for the total number of vehicles stolen in 2010 aren't in yet, there is some encouraging news from 2009.

Close to $1 billion lost to vehicle theft in 2009

Last year 108,172 vehicles were stolen in Canada, a drop of 15 per cent from 2008. Still, the overall cost of auto theft is close to $1 billion.

The Insurance Bureau is hoping new federal legislation will drive those numbers down even further. Bill S-9, passed by Parliament in November, attaches tougher sentences for car theft, along with adding new provisions to the Criminal Code to make it easier to charge car thieves.

"IBC congratulates the federal government for cracking down on organized crime and auto theft for export, and for making the safety and security of Canadians a priority," said Rick Dubin, the vice-president of investigative services at IBC.

Canada Border Services has seized 600 stolen vehicles valued at $18 million at the ports of Montreal and Halifax so far this year.

The Insurance Bureau points out that a professional thief can steal a car in 30 seconds.

It warns drivers to follow some practical advice, such as locking their cars, parking in a well-lit busy area, and never leaving the vehicle running while unattended.

The top-10 list of stolen vehicles:

1. 2000 Honda Civic SiR two-door.
2. 1999 Honda Civic SiR two-door.
3. 2002 Cadillac Escalade four-door 4WD.
4. 2004 Cadillac Escalade four-door 4WD.
5. 2005 Acura RSX Type S two-door.
6. 1997 Acura Integra two-door.
7. 2000 Audi Quattro four-door AWD.
8. 2003 Hummer H2 four-door AWD.
9. 2006 Acura RSX Type S two-door.
10. 2004 Hummer H2 four-door AWD.