Final Theft Data; Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention Standard

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[Docket No. 96-016; Notice 02]

RIN 2127-AF57

Final Theft Data; Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention Standard

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA),

Department of Transportation.

ACTION: Publication of final theft data.

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SUMMARY: This document publishes the final data on thefts of model year

(MY) 1994 passenger motor vehicles that occurred in calendar year (CY)

1994. The final 1994 theft data indicate an increase in the vehicle

theft rate when compared to the theft rate experienced in CY/MY 1993.

The final theft rate for MY 1994 passenger vehicles stolen in calendar

year 1994 increased to 4.17 thefts per thousand vehicles produced.

Publication of these data fulfills NHTSA's statutory obligation to

periodically obtain accurate and timely theft data and publish the

information for review and comment. The data were calculated for

informational purposes only.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Rosalind Proctor, Office of

Planning and Consumer Programs, NHTSA, 400 Seventh Street, SW.,

Washington, DC 20590. Ms. Proctor's telephone number is (202) 366-1740.

Her fax number is (202) 493-2739.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NHTSA administers a program for reducing

motor vehicle theft. The central feature of this program is the Federal

Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention Standard, 49 CFR Part 541. The standard

specifies performance requirements for inscribing and affixing vehicle

identification numbers (VINs) onto certain major original equipment and

replacement parts of high-theft lines of passenger motor vehicles.

The agency is required by 49 U.S.C. 33104(b)(4) to periodically

obtain, from the most reliable source, accurate and timely theft data

and publish the data for review and comment. To fulfill this statutory

mandate, NHTSA has published theft data annually since 1983/84.

Continuing to fulfill the section 33104(b)(4) mandate, this document

reports the final theft data for CY 1994, the most recent calendar year

for which data are available.

In calculating the 1994 theft rates, NHTSA followed the same

procedures it used in calculating the MY 1993 theft rates. (For 1993

theft data calculations, see 61 FR 1228, January 18, 1996). As in all

previous reports, NHTSA's data were based on information provided to

NHTSA by the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) of the Federal

Bureau of Investigation. The NCIC is a government system that receives

vehicle theft information from nearly 23,000 criminal justice agencies

and other law enforcement authorities throughout the United States. The

NCIC data also include reported thefts of self-insured and uninsured

vehicles, not all of which are reported to other data sources.

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The 1994 theft rate for each vehicle line was calculated by

dividing the number of reported thefts of MY 1994 vehicles of that line

stolen during calendar year 1994 by the total number of vehicles in

that line manufactured for MY 1994, as reported to the Environmental

Protection Agency.

The final 1994 theft data show an increase in the vehicle theft

rate when compared to the theft rate experienced in CY/MY 1993. The

final theft rate for MY 1994 passenger vehicles stolen in CY 1994

increased to 4.17 thefts per thousand vehicles produced, an increase of

4.8 percent from the rate of 3.98 thefts per thousand vehicles

experienced by MY 1993 vehicles in CY 1993. For MY 1994 vehicles, out

of a total of 202 vehicle lines, 96 lines had a theft rate higher than

3.5826 per thousand vehicles, the established median theft rate for MYs

1990/1991. (See 59 FR 12400, March 16, 1994). Of the 96 vehicle lines

with a theft rate higher than 3.5826, 76 are passenger car lines, 17

are multipurpose passenger vehicle lines, and 3 are light-duty truck

lines.

On Wednesday, March 13, 1996, NHTSA published the preliminary theft

rates for CY 1994 passenger motor vehicles in the Federal Register (61

FR 10424). The agency tentatively ranked each of the MY 1994 vehicle

lines in descending order of theft rate. The public was requested to

comment on the accuracy of the data and to provide final production

figures for individual vehicle lines. In response to the March 1996

notice, the agency received written comments from the Chrysler

Corporation (Chrysler), Ford Motor Company (Ford), Volkswagen of

America, Inc. (Volkswagen), American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (Honda),

General Motors Corporation (GM), Jaguar Cars (Jaguar), Mercedes-Benz of

North America, Inc. (Mercedes-Benz) and Toyota Motor Corporate Services

of North America, Inc. (Toyota). In their comments, all eight

manufacturers provided the agency with corrected production figures for

their vehicle lines. (The written corrections are available at the

docket number cited at the beginning of this notice.)

The agency used all written comments to make the necessary

adjustments to its data. As a result of the adjustments, the final

theft rate and ranking of the vehicle lines changed from those

published in the March 1996 notice.

In its comments, Chrysler informed the agency that although the

Jeep Cherokee and the Jeep Grand Cherokee are separate and distinct

vehicles, they had been erroneously listed as one vehicle line entry.

In response to Chrysler's comment, NHTSA is correcting the final

theft data for several Chrysler models. As a result of these

corrections, the Jeep Cherokee previously ranked No. 25 with a theft

rate of 8.2980 is now ranked No. 128 with a theft rate of 2.7049; the

Jeep Grand Cherokee, not previously ranked is now ranked at No. 23 with

a theft rate of 8.7702. Changes to the remaining five Chrysler lines

were: the Dodge Caravan/Grand Caravan previously ranked No. 54 with a

theft rate of 5.3457 is now ranked No. 56 with a theft rate of 5.4156;

the Chrysler New Yorker/LHS previously ranked No. 82 with a theft rate

of 3.9560 is now ranked No. 70 with a theft rate of 4.6498; the Dodge

Stealth previously ranked No. 138 with a theft rate of 2.1916 is now

ranked No. 63 with a theft rate of 4.8435; the Eagle Summit previously

ranked No. 171 with a theft rate of 1.2972 is now ranked No. 117 with a

theft rate of 3.0293; and the Plymouth Colt/Colt Vista previously

ranked No. 189 with a theft rate of 0.6053 is now ranked No. 160 with a

theft rate of 1.7118.

Ford informed the agency that the E150 Van, a multi-purpose

passenger vehicle, was not subject to coverage under 49 U.S.C. Chapter

331, Theft Prevention, because the gross vehicle weight rating exceeded

the statutory limitation of 6,000 pounds.

In response to Ford's comment, NHTSA is making the necessary

corrections to the final theft data. As a result of the adjustments,

the Ford E150 Van, previously ranked No. 186, was removed.

Additionally, Ford informed the agency that the production volume for

the F150 Pickup Trucks included vehicles with a gross vehicle weight

rating both greater and less than 6,000 pounds. Ford provided the

production volumes for those F150 Pickup Trucks that had a gross

vehicle weight rating of 6,000 pounds or less. As a result of the

adjustment, the Ford F150 Pickup Truck, previously ranked No. 190 with

a theft rate of 0.5421 is now ranked No. 130 with a theft rate of

2.6009. Changes to the remaining two Ford car lines were: the Ford

Taurus previously ranked No. 107 with a theft rate of 3.1594 is now

ranked No. 123 with a theft rate of 2.7996; the Ford Explorer

previously ranked No. 139 with a theft rate of 2.1805 is now ranked No.

148 with a theft rate of 2.0459.

Additionally, Volkswagen commented that the VW Cabriolet should be

changed to Audi Cabriolet and the VW Jetta should be changed to the VW

Jetta III. The final theft data were modified to reflect these changes.

Changes to the remaining nine Volkswagen lines were: the Volkswagen

Corrado previously ranked No. 10 with a theft rate of 15.0000 is ranked

No. 12 with a theft rate of 15.1515; the Audi Cabriolet previously

ranked No. 80 with a theft rate of 4.0193 is now ranked No. 85 with a

theft rate of 3.9714; the Volkswagen Passat previously ranked No. 111

with a theft rate of 3.0990 remains at the same rank with a theft rate

of 3.0840; the Volkswagen Jetta III previously ranked No. 136 with a

theft rate of 2.4360 is now ranked No. 141 with a theft rate of 2.4344;

the Audi S4 previously ranked No. 141 with a theft rate of 2.1598 is

now ranked No. 144 with a theft rate of 2.1231; the Volkswagen Golf

III/GTI previously ranked No. 160 with a theft rate of 1.5330 is now

ranked No. 165 with a theft rate of 1.5329; the Audi 100 previously

ranked No. 161 with a theft rate of 1.4922 is now ranked No. 166 with a

theft rate of 1.4929; the Audi 90 previously ranked No. 167 with a

theft rate of 1.3592 is now ranked No. 172 with a theft rate of 1.3518;

and the Volkswagen Eurovan previously ranked No. 201 with a theft rate

of 0.0000 is ranked the same with a theft rate of 0.0000.

For the Honda car lines, the Acura NSX previously ranked No. 14

with a theft rate of 13.2353 is now ranked at No. 10 with a theft rate

of 17.4081; the Acura Legend previously ranked No. 37 with a theft rate

of 6.5616 is now ranked at No. 22 with a theft rate of 9.6944; the

Acura Integra previously ranked No. 77 with a theft rate of 4.0985 is

now ranked at No. 96 with a theft rate of 3.5894; the Acura Vigor

previously ranked at No. 84 with a theft rate of 3.9103 is now ranked

at No. 42 with a theft rate of 6.3344; the Civic previously ranked No.

86 with a theft rate of 3.8020 is now ranked No. 78 with a theft rate

of 4.3100; the Prelude previously ranked No. 98 with a theft rate of

3.5473 is now ranked No. 30 with a theft rate of 8.0417; and the Accord

previously ranked No. 116 with a theft rate of 3.0415 is now ranked No.

103 with a theft rate of 3.3529.

For the General Motors car lines, the Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera

previously ranked No. 27 with a theft rate of 8.1655 is now ranked No.

29 with a theft rate of 8.1574; the Buick Century previously ranked No.

42 with a theft rate of 6.1243 is now ranked No. 48 with a theft rate

of 5.9451; the GMC Jimmy S-15 previously ranked No. 49 with a theft

rate of 5.6309 is now ranked No. 52 with a theft rate of 5.6889; the

Oldsmobile Achieva previously ranked No. 52 with a theft rate of 5.4347

is now ranked No. 54 with a theft rate of 5.6046; the Chevrolet Blazer

S10 previously ranked

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No. 58 with a theft rate of 5.1235 is now ranked No. 60 with a theft

rate of 5.1788; the Chevrolet Lumina APV previously ranked No. 59 with

a theft rate of 4.9263 is now ranked No. 62 with a theft rate of

4.9221; the Chevrolet Beretta previously ranked No. 60 with a theft

rate of 4.9088 is now ranked No. 64 with a theft rate of 4.8454; the

Pontiac Sunbird previously ranked No. 61 with a theft rate of 4.9008 is

now ranked No. 63 with a theft rate of 4.8734; the Chevrolet Corsica

previously ranked No. 62 with a theft rate of 4.8311 is now ranked No.

65 with a theft rate of 4.8250; the Chevrolet Corvette previously

ranked No. 67 with a theft rate of 4.5884 is now ranked No. 72 with a

theft rate of 4.5888; the Oldsmobile Silhouette APV previously ranked

No. 68 with a theft rate of 4.5576 is now ranked No. 72 with a theft

rate of 4.5452; the Pontiac Trans Sport APV previously ranked No. 72

with a theft rate of 4.3223 is now ranked No. 77 with a theft rate of

4.3157; the Cadillac Fleetwood previously ranked No. 73 with a theft

rate of 4.2030 is now ranked No. 81 with a theft rate of 4.1964; the

Buick Skylark previously ranked No. 75 with a theft rate of 4.1134 is

now ranked No. 79 with a theft rate of 4.2455.

The Oldsmobile Bravada previously ranked No. 81 with a theft rate

of 3.9931 is now ranked No. 82 with a theft rate of 4.0722; the Pontiac

Grand Am previously ranked No. 91 with a theft rate of 3.6766 is now

ranked No. 89 with a theft rate of 3.7682; the Chevrolet Sportvan G-10

previously ranked No. 92 with a theft rate of 3.6597 is now ranked No.

107 with a theft rate of 3.2284; the Chevrolet Cavalier previously

ranked No. 94 with a theft rate of 3.6418 is now ranked No. 94 with a

theft rate of 3.6661; the Chevrolet Camaro previously ranked No. 100

with a theft rate of 3.5375 remains the same with a theft rate of

3.5312; the Chevrolet Lumina previously ranked No. 110 with a theft

rate of 3.1059 is now ranked No. 113 with a theft rate of 3.0717; the

Pontiac Firebird previously ranked No. 113 with a theft rate of 3.0927

is now ranked No. 112 with a theft rate of 3.0756; the Chevrolet Astro

previously ranked No. 127 with a theft rate of 2.5825 is now ranked No.

131 with a theft rate of 2.5767; the GMC Safari previously ranked No.

130 with a theft rate of 2.5578 is now ranked No. 134 with a theft rate

of 2.5575.

The Oldsmobile Cutlass Cruiser previously ranked No. 131 with a

theft rate of 2.5000 is now ranked No. 135 with a theft rate of 2.5335;

the Chevrolet S-10 Pickup previously ranked No. 137 with a theft rate

of 2.3347 is now ranked No. 142 with a theft rate of 2.3338; the

Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme previously ranked No. 143 with a theft rate

of 2.1075 is now ranked No. 146 with a theft rate of 2.0981; the

Cadillac Deville/Sixty Special previously ranked No. 148 with a theft

rate of 1.9816 is now ranked No. 152 with a theft rate of 1.9807; the

Pontiac Bonneville previously ranked No. 150 with a theft rate of

1.9212 is now ranked No. 155 with a theft rate of 1.9159; the Pontiac

Grand Prix previously ranked No. 154 with a theft rate of 1.7507 is now

ranked No. 159 with a theft rate of 1.7375; the Cadillac Eldorado

previously ranked No. 165 with a theft rate of 1.3797 is now ranked No.

170 with a theft rate of 1.3799; the Cadillac Seville previously ranked

No. 166 with a theft rate of 1.3665 is now ranked No. 171 with a theft

rate of 1.3635; the GMC Sonoma previously ranked No. 175 with a theft

rate of 1.2011 is now ranked No. 154 with a theft rate of 1.9506; the

GMC Sierra 1500 Pickup previously ranked No. 176 with a theft rate of

1.1588 is now ranked No. 179 with a theft rate of 1.1553; the

Oldsmobile 98/Touring previously ranked No. 177 with a theft rate of

1.1241 is now ranked No. 181 with a theft rate of 1.1240; the Buick

LeSabre previously ranked No. 178 with a theft rate of 0.9919 is now

ranked No. 182 with a theft rate of 0.9907; the Saturn SW previously

ranked No.180 with a theft rate of 0.8529 is now ranked No. 184 with a

theft rate of 0.8528; the Buick Roadmaster previously ranked No. 183

with a theft rate of 0.8007 is now ranked No. 187 with a theft rate of

0.7977; the Buick Park Avenue previously ranked No. 184 with a theft

rate of 0.7844 is now ranked No. 188 with a theft rate of 0.7834; the

GMC Rally Sportvan previously ranked No. 194 with a theft rate of

0.0000, is ranked the same with a theft rate of 0.0000.

For the Jaguar car lines, the Jaguar XJ12 previously ranked No. 112

with a theft rate of 3.0988 is now ranked No. 4 with a theft rate of

21.3499; the Jaguar XJ6 previously ranked No. 185 with a theft rate of

0.6887 is now ranked No. 190 with a theft rate of 0.1000.

For the Mercedes car lines, the Mercedes 124 (E-Class) previously

ranked No. 105 with a theft rate of 3.2374 is now ranked No. 106 with a

theft rate of 3.2461; the Mercedes 140 (S-Class) ranked No. 63 with a

theft rate of 4.7941 is now ranked No. 67 with a theft rate of 4.7953;

and the Mercedes 202 (C-Class) previously ranked No. 164 with a theft

rate of 1.3810 is now ranked No. 169 with a theft rate of 1.3811.

For the Toyota lines, the Toyota Supra previously ranked at No. 15

with a theft rate of 12.1469 is now ranked No. 16 with a theft rate of

12.1572; the Toyota 4Runner previously ranked No. 24 with a theft rate

of 8.4075 remains the same with a theft rate of 8.2183; the Toyota

Lexus SC previously ranked No. 31 with a theft rate of 7.4199 is now

ranked No. 34 with a theft rate of 7.4024; the Toyota Lexus LS

previously ranked No. 44 with a theft rate of 6.0444 is now ranked No.

43 with a theft rate of 6.3209; the Toyota Lexus GS previously ranked

No. 46 with a theft rate of 5.9690 is now ranked No. 50 with a theft

rate of 5.9235; the Toyota Corolla/Corolla Sport previously ranked No.

74 with a theft rate of 4.1679 is now ranked No. 80 with a theft rate

of 4.2323; the Toyota Paseo previously ranked No. 76 with a theft rate

of 4.1026 is now ranked No. 88 with a theft rate of 3.8308; the Toyota

Tercel previously ranked at No. 83 with a theft rate of 3.9130 is now

ranked No. 87 with a theft rate of 3.8550; the Toyota Camry previously

ranked No. 85 with a theft rate of 3.8689 is now ranked No. 86 with a

theft rate of 3.9175; the Toyota Celica previously ranked No. 96 with a

theft rate of 3.5574 is now ranked No. 98 with a theft rate of 3.5548;

the Toyota Pickup truck previously ranked No. 101 with a theft rate of

3.5219 is now ranked No. 121 with a theft rate of 2.9328; the Toyota

Previa previously ranked No. 103 with a theft rate of 3.3808 is now

ranked No. 104 with a theft rate of 3.3429; the Toyota Lexus ES

previously ranked No. 140 with a theft rate of 2.1716 is now ranked No.

143 with a theft rate of 2.1702; the Toyota MR2 previously ranked No.

157 with a theft rate of 1.6129 is now ranked No. 161 with a theft rate

of 1.6207; and the Toyota T100 Pickup previously ranked No. 159 with a

theft rate of 1.5789 is now ranked No. 165 with a theft rate of 1.5719.

The following list represents NHTSA's final calculation of theft

rates for all 1994 passenger motor vehicle lines. This list is intended

to inform the public of calendar year 1994 motor vehicle thefts of

model year 1994 vehicles and does not have any affect on the

obligations of regulated parties under 49 U.S.C. Chapter 331, Theft

Prevention.

BILLING CODE 4910-59-P

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Issued on: September 18, 1996.

L. Robert Shelton,

Acting Associate Administrator for Safety Performance Standards.

[FR Doc. 96-24420 Filed 9-23-96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910-59-C