There is a surprise in the unfortunate list of the most stolen cars in France in 2021. The ranking produced by Auto Plus still gives pride of place to models from French manufacturers, but the top of the podium has changed compared to the previous year.
Health crisis or not, thieves are always hard at work to steal the most wanted vehicles by fences and spare parts hunters. The annual ranking unveiled by Auto More for the year 2021, based on a panel of more than 16 million insured vehicles, places the Toyota Prius at the top of the list of most stolen cars.
The Prius, darling of thieves
This is an amazing place for this model, which was not in the top 50 of 2020. But what thieves are looking for in the Prius are the rare metals contained in the catalytic converter: platinum, rhodium or even palladium are in high demand. In second position, we find the title holder of 2020, namely the DS7 Crossback from Stellantis. The vehicle has a vulnerable opening system, which makes life easier for thieves.
The Mégane RS takes third place. This sporty model of Renault’s best seller is however not very common on the roads. Renault also took 4th and 5th place with the Clio IV and Mégane IV. As for higher-end vehicles that one would think very attractive to thieves, they carry electronics that make them much more difficult to steal and dispose of.
This record, which car manufacturers do not appreciate, also indicates that in 2021, 120,000 vehicles were stolen, which represents a daily rate of 336 thefts. The trend is stable compared to 2020. However, it could increase: the shortage of components penalizes the production of new vehicles, which increases the prices of models in circulation.
