Honda Accord one of most stolen vehicles in Conn.

The Honda Accord continues to be the hottest target for car thieves in Connecticut.

The popular sedan, particularly the 1996 model, was the most stolen vehicle in the state last year, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, which tracks crime trends affecting insurance policy holders throughout the U.S. The Accord also was the state's most targeted vehicle in 2020 and 2021 and for years has been among the most stolen cars in the state.

Nationwide, the most stolen vehicle in 2022 was the full-sized Chevrolet pickup truck, while the Accord was fourth on the U.S. list. Consumer watchdogs consistently have rated the Accord and other Honda vehicles as among the most reliable. Also, according to NICB, thieves may be targeting earlier model years of Accords and Civics because they lack anti-theft electronics.

While motor vehicle thefts surged in much of the nation, the number of reported stolen cars in Connecticut fell over the last two years after spiking at the start of the coronavirus pandemic, according to the NICB. Vehicle thefts in the state totaled 5,944 in 2019, soaring to 8,541 in 2020, dropping to 7,771 the next year and 7,060 in 2022.

Meanwhile, other states have been hit with record and near-record numbers of stolen cars -- more than 1 million cases across the country last year, a 7 percent increase over 2021 and the most reported thefts since 2008, according to the NICB, a nonprofit organization. California and Texas led the nation with the most reported stolen vehicles in 2022, while Illinois had the largest increase of any top 10 state, with thefts increasing by an estimated 35 percent between 2021 and 2022, the NICB reported.

Full-sized pickups made up more than 25% of vehicle thefts reported around the country last year, a decrease from a high of 33 percent in 2021, NICB reported. While vehicle theft rates have soared since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, the good news is that recovery rates also have risen. More than 85% of passenger vehicles reported stolen in 2022 were recovered by law enforcement or other means, with 34 percent recovered within a day of the vehicle being reported stolen.

The most stolen vehicle in neighboring Massachusetts and Rhode Island last year also was the Accord. In New York state, the Honda CR-V topped the list, while Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont mirrored the nation with the full-sized Chevrolet pickup as thieves' preferred choice, according to NICB.

Vehicle theft in the U.S. is a multi-billion-dollar industry that disrupts lives, causes financial hardship, and undermines community safety, NICB President and CEO David J. Glawe said.

"Addressing this problem is not just the responsibility of law enforcement agencies; it requires a partnership between vehicle owners, community members, as well as federal, state, and local governments," Glawe said.

Vehicle theft rates for sedans, including Honda, Hyundai and Kia, followed those of full-size pickups, with recovery rates for Hyundais and Kias between 87 and 95 percent. Thieves targeted those models in large part due to a TikTok challenge showing how easy they are to steal due to lack of anti-theft immobilizers, an electronic device that prevents a car from being hot-wired. The Hyundai Elantra and Sonata were the third and fifth most stolen vehicles in the state last year, according to NICB.

In June, the state launched a consumer protection investigation into Hyundai and Kia concerning the companies' failure to equip their vehicles with the industry standard anti-theft technology, officials say. Attorney General William Tong's office said the investigation is the latest in a series of steps Tong has taken over the companies' continued failure to address the public safety concerns of their vehicles.