LoJack - Annual Motorcycle Theft Study
LoJack Corporation announced the results of its first annual Motorcycle Theft Study, which documents facts and trends derived from LoJack’s stolen motorcycle recovery reports for the calendar year 2006.
According to the study, law enforcement recovered 292 LoJack-equipped stolen motorcycles in 2006 valued at close to $2.8 million and discovered 76 professional theft rings, enabling police to reclaim an additional $2.1 million in other stolen bikes, bike parts, accessories and miscellaneous items. In total, law enforcement recovered more than $4.9 million in stolen assets through tracking LoJack-equipped stolen motorcycles.
Bad States
Bike theft has risen 135 percent over the past five years. And not surprisingly, theft is especially high in states including Florida, California and Texas, where the riding season is year-round. Figures released by the National Insurance Crime Bureau earlier this year indicated that more than 70,000 motorcycles were stolen in 2005.
Newer Sport Bikes are the Most Popular Theft Targets
While all motorcycles are vulnerable to theft, the report indicates that the most popular theft targets are the newer sport bikes. Four of the top five stolen/recovered bikes are sport bikes and 87 percent were either 2005 or 2006 models.
Below are the top five stolen motorcycle makes:
- Suzuki
- Honda
- Yamaha
- Kawasaki
- Harley-Davidson
Newer bikes are top theft targets for a number of reasons. They are typically in high demand and parts for new bikes aren’t always readily available.
So, thieves have an opportunity to sell the bikes whole or disassemble them for parts, sometimes even selling parts online.
