Car Thefts Still on the Rise
The latest PIAM (the General Insurance Association of Malaysia) statistics reveal that private car thefts continue to be major issue for the general insurance industry. A total of 4,629 private cars were reported stolen to insurance companies during the first 8 months of 2003, representing an increase of 12% over last year’s corresponding period.
The total claims incurred for private cars up to August this year amounted to RM310 million, an increase of 18% over the same period in 2002.
Toyota holds the unenviable distinction of having the highest theft rate among all makes in the private car category as the statistics reveal that the theft rate for insured Toyota vehicles is 5.39 per 1,000 – more than five times the rate for Protons. Other popular makes among car thieves include Proton, Perodua, Nissan and Honda.
Among the Toyota models reported stolen to insurers, the Unser has been the hottest target, recording nearly a fourfold increase (more than 400 Unsers were reported stolen for the first 8 months of 2003 compared to the 107 reported stolen for the entire 2002 calendar year).
However, while the Unser losses represented 13.6% of the 2,992 cars stolen, 739 Proton Wiras were stolen during the same period, almost a quarter of all private cars stolen and the No.1 target in this segment.
In the 4WD/SUV category, the Toyota’s Harrier (also known as Lexus RX300) had the highest number of thefts reported (182 up to August 2003). This model is, however, not assembled nor sold by UMW Toyota Motor, the official franchise holder. It is typically brought in by private importers.
Pick-up thefts seems to have dropped and it seems that only the Storm is the ‘hot’ one these days, accounting for 17.8% of 4WDs reported stolen. By comparison, Ford Ranger thefts are down and were only 6.6% of the total 4WDs stolen. This could be due to the vastly improved immobiliser system now installed in many Ford models which uses an ECU-embedded code which makes a vehicle very secure provided the thief cannot get the original key which has the unlock code.
Likewise with Hondas, once very popular among thieves. Honda Malaysia responded promptly to address the issue of CR-Vs being stolen and upgraded its security system substantially. Their effort is evident in the reduction in number of thefts in this latest data, though CR-Vs are still ‘favourites’ . According to a HM source, upgrades for the earlier system were made available to owners.
Commending police efforts and their recent successes in busting car theft syndicates, PIAM Executive Director Lim Chia Fook pointed out that a concerted effort to curb vehicle thefts involves more than just the police. Car manufacturers can also play a major role to reduce the risk of loss by seriously re-evaluating the anti-theft devices that they have installed in their vehicles to protect their customers.
“We understand that, in this area, UMW Toyota Motor has been offering their customers security system upgrades since September 2002,” said Mr Lim. A UMW Toyota Motor source confirmed this when approached by AUTOWORLD.COM.MY adding that “popularity seems to be like a ‘double-edged sword’ and the more popular our models are, the more thieves want to steal them!”
Overall, PIAM statistics indicate that the insurance industry will suffer more than RM550 million in claims incurred for motor vehicle thefts during 2003, an estimated 15% increase from the previous year.
In view of such statistics, Mr Lim urged vehicle owners to be more aware and vigilant against theft of their vehicles. “For example, car thieves can easily duplicate keys when the vehicles are left with car jockeys or at the car wash,” he said. “While we may rely on the police to bring car thieves to book and recover stolen goods, car owners cannot afford to be lax about securing their own vehicles. Indeed, they should be their own first line of defence.”
Other advice from PIAM includes:
– Exercise discretion when parking your vehicle. Avoid parking lots that do not require a ticket or pass card for exit, dark areas and overnight roadside parking.
– Secure your ignition wires and replace the standard ignition key with a coded key.
– Ensure all windows of your vehicle are etched with the vehicle registration number.
– Use visible steering and gear locks.
– Affix hood locks that require key access to your engine.
– Determine if your vehicle has been pre-installed with an effective electronic immobiliser. Contact your manufacturer if in doubt. If your car does not have an electronic immobiliser, arrange for one to be installed. Choose an effective and reputable product and ensure the immobiliser and installation meet international standards.
Mr Lim said that the whole objective of the layered approach of anti-theft measures like coded keys, vehicle etching, steering/gear locks and passive electronic immobilisers is to make it more difficult and time-consuming to steal a vehicle. The extra time the thief needs to acquire the vehicle may be the difference between thwarting the theft and losing the car.
