Let’s talk about our good friends, Ford and Chevy. Now, we know they’re big sellers in South Dakota. But apparently, their popularity doesn’t just extend to lemmings who enjoy brand loyalty. Oh no. They’re also outrageously popular with the ‘five finger discount’ crew too – as in, those amiable individuals who regularly practice a spot of grand theft auto.
The National Insurance Crime Bureau or NICB (because let’s face it, who has time for full names?) has been doing some super sleuthing into the federal crime data. After much head-scratching and spreadsheet scrutinizing, it turns out that two types of pickups were the hot ticket items for vehicular kleptomaniacs in South Dakota in 2022. You’ve guessed it: Ford and Chevy pickups.
Now, according to NICB’s homework, Chevrolet pickups were the belle of the ball countrywide, with Ford pickups as the runner-ups. But our quirky South Dakotans have a mind of their own – they prefer to swipe Ford trucks first, and then Chevy.
It’s not exactly a head-scratcher that these two brands are on the most-wanted list. After all, they were the Taylor Swift and BTS of the car sales world last year. The Ford F-Series and the Chevy Silverado topped the bestseller chart, as per Car and Driver.
It seems the crooks couldn’t resist the somewhat less glamorous Chevy Impala either, ranking it as their third favorite. Meanwhile, the GMC pickup was the fourth most stolen vehicle, suggesting some thieves have a soft spot for an underdog.
But let’s not forget the rest in the rogues’ gallery of most frequently stolen vehicles in South Dakota last year. Here’s the NICB’s top ten most frequently stolen automobile parade:
1. Ford Pickup (full-size)
2. Chevy Pickup (full-size)
3. Chevy Impala
4. GMC Pickup (full-size)
5. Chevy Malibu
6. Honda Accord
7. Ford Focus/RS
8. Ford Fusion
9. Ford Taurus
10. Dodge Caravan/Grand Caravan
So, there you have it, folks. When you next find yourself casually strolling through a South Dakota car dealership, maybe think twice before you reach for your checkbook for one of these. Or, if you already have one, maybe it’s time to invest in a stronger lock. Or a growling Rottweiler. Or preferably, both.
Here’s to hoping that your vehicle never features on this list. Now, that would be a ‘steal.’