The Cars that Houston Car Thieves Want

Car thieves often target specific vehicles because of their commonalty, value, durability, and other factors. Interestingly enough, the cars that are stolen are not normally luxurious models like Mercedes, nor are they fancy foreign cars like Lamborghini’s. Instead, they are mostly durable, well-made cars that can satisfy the car thief’s needs or work well as a sales car. Many times, car thieves steal vehicles so that they can sell them to dealerships, making a 100 percent profit. The most popular car that is stolen in Houston is a Ford truck.

In fact, 196 Ford trucks were stolen during August of 2012. 182 Chevrolet trucks were stolen in the month of August as well, making it the second-most targeted car. 97 Hondas were stolen, followed by 80 Dodge trucks. The fifth most popular car to steal in Texas is a Chevrolet, and 46 were lifted last month. 43 drivers had their GMC trucks stolen, and 42 men or women lost their Nissan car to a burglar. Toyotas are the eighth most popular car for stealing, with 37 stolen vehicles last month. 26 burglars chose a Ford car, and Dodge cars capped the list at 20 cars stolen for the top ten spot.

Stealing a car is a serious crime, and many times it is considered a federal offense that is punishable by up to 15 years in prison. Maximum sentences can increase up to 25 years if the victim of the theft is injured in the process. If the victim is seriously injured or killed, then the crime can merit a life sentence. Normally, these stolen cars are taken to a chop shop, where they stripped of the parts that are essential.

The parts are then sold to restorers. Normally, these chop shops are the hubs of car theft rings. If you have been arrested in conjunction with car thievery or a chop shop, then you could have up to 30 years of prison in your future. Yet with an excellent lawyer, like an associate at The Martinez Law Firm, you may be able to avoid the serious sentences that are connected with your crime. Talk to someone at our firm today to secure representation in your trial!