Cadillac Escalade ESV tops most stolen vehicle list

The Cadillac Escalade SUV is undoubtedly popular with a wide range of people, but especially so with car thieves, who made the 2007 Escalade ESV their number one choice for stealing this year. Meanwhile, the Mercedes Benz E-Class saloon was the least popular with thieves and was 15 times less likely to be stolen when compared to the desirable Escalade.

The information comes from the Highway Loss Data Institute, which worked with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) in compiling the data. The 2007 Cadillac Escalade ESV led the charge for the most stolen luxury vehicles, and captained a number of other large, luxury SUVs as the most stolen vehicles in America. Following close behind the Escalade's position was the chunky Hummer H2, which was also in the top 10 list of most stolen cars.

Ford's F350 truck, Dodge's Charger and Honda's S2000 convertible sports car were all also on the list, indicating that big luxury SUVs weren't the only targets of thieves, although they did find themselves far ahead of other vehicles, reports Forbes.

A spokesman for the IIHS postulated that thieves chose large popular vehicles such as the Cadillac Escalade because of their mass appeal, and potential for reselling or parts-stripping. Location was also an important factor, with most family sedans and smaller cars located in garages or other secure locations. These cars also have less expensive parts than large luxury SUVs, and many SUV owners also customize their cars with high-end sound systems, expensive wheels, and bespoke interiors, making them even more attractive to thieves.

The Cadillac Escalade is no stranger to lists such as these, appearing on last year's top ten most stolen luxury vehicles list as the leader, which it has done for the past four years now despite GM's best efforts to beef up its security with technology such as the OnStar system.