Final Theft Data; Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention Standard

AGENCY:

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Department of Transportation.

ACTION:

Publication of final theft data.

SUMMARY:

This document publishes the final data on thefts of model year (MY) 2002 passenger motor vehicles that occurred in calendar year (CY) 2002. The final 2002 theft data indicate a decrease in the vehicle theft rate experienced in CY/MY 2002. The final theft rate for MY 2002 passenger vehicles stolen in calendar year 2002 (2.49 thefts per thousand vehicles) decreased by 23.6 percent from the theft rate for CY/MY 2001 (3.26 thefts per thousand vehicles) when compared to the theft rate experienced in CY/MY 2001. 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Ms. Deborah Mazyck, Office of International Policy, Fuel Economy and Consumer Programs, NHTSA, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590. Ms. Mazyck's telephone number is (202) 366-0846. Her fax number is (202) 493-2290.

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 beginning with MYs 1983/84. Continuing to fulfill the § 33104(b)(4) mandate, this document reports the final theft data for CY 2002, the most recent calendar year for which data are available.

In calculating the 2002 theft rates, NHTSA followed the same procedures it used in calculating the MY 2001 theft rates. (For 2001 theft data calculations, see 68 FR 54857, September 19, 2003.) 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.

The 2002 theft rate for each vehicle line was calculated by dividing the number of reported thefts of MY 2002 vehicles of that line stolen during calendar year 2002 by the total number of vehicles in that line manufactured for MY 2002, as reported to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The final 2002 theft data show a decrease in the vehicle theft rate when compared to the theft rate experienced in CY/MY 2001. The final theft rate for MY 2002 passenger vehicles stolen in calendar year 2002 decreased to 2.49 thefts per thousand vehicles produced, a decrease of 23.6 percent from the rate of 3.26 thefts per thousand vehicles experienced by MY 2001 vehicles in CY 2001. For MY 2002 vehicles, out of a total of 225 vehicle lines, 38 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 38 vehicle lines with a theft rate higher than 3.5826, 34 are passenger car lines, three are multipurpose passenger vehicle lines, and one is a light-duty truck line.

On Tuesday, April 6, 2004, NHTSA published the preliminary theft rates for CY 2002 passenger motor vehicles in the Federal Register (69 FR 18010). The agency tentatively ranked each of the MY 2002 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. The agency used written comments to make the necessary adjustments to its data. As a result of the adjustments, some of the final theft rates and rankings of vehicle lines changed from those published in the April 2004 notice. The agency received written comments from General Motors Corporation (GM) and Volkswagen of America, Inc. (VW).

In its comments, GM informed the agency that the Pontiac Grand Am was incorrectly listed as the “Grant Am” and the GMC Safari Van was incorrectly listed as the “Safara Van.” The final theft data has been revised to reflect the correct nomenclature for the Pontiac Grand Am and the GMC Safari Van.

GM also informed the agency that the production volume for the Chevrolet Cavalier, the Chevrolet Astro Van, and the Saturn VUE is incorrect. In response to this comment, the production volume for the Chevrolet Cavalier, the Chevrolet Astro Van, and the Saturn VUE has been reviewed and the final theft list has been revised to correct those production errors. As a result of the correction, the Chevrolet Cavalier previously ranked No. 30 with a theft rate of 3.9232 remains ranked at No. 30 with a theft rate of 3.8780. The Chevrolet Astro Van previously ranked No. 119 with a theft rate of 1.7072 is now ranked No. 120 with a revised theft rate of 1.7196. The Saturn VUE previously ranked No. 188 with a theft rate of 0.6073 is now ranked No. 189 with a revised theft rate of 0.5970. Additionally, GM informed the agency that the production volume for the General Motors Funeral Coach/Hearse was listed incorrectly. As a result of the agency's review, the new information provided by GM resulted in no change to the ranking or theft rate for this line. Additionally, further analysis of the data revealed the Funeral Coach/Hearse is a Cadillac Funeral Coach/Hearse. The theft rate list has been revised to reflect the correction in its nomenclature.

Further reanalysis of the theft rate data revealed that the Cadillac Limousine, BMW M3 and BMW M5 were erroneously omitted from the April 6, 2004 publication of preliminary theft data. The agency has corrected the final theft data to include the theft rate information for the Cadillac Limousine, BMW M3 and BMW M5 vehicles. As a result of this correction, the Cadillac Limousine is ranked No. 213 with a theft rate of 0.0000, the BMW M3 is ranked No. 23 with a theft rate of 4.8012 and the BMW M5 is ranked No. 62 with a theft rate of 2.7510.

VW also informed the agency that the production volume for the Audi TT/Quattro and the Bentley Arnage was listed incorrectly. As a result of VW's comments, the production volume for the Audi TT/Quattro and the Bentley Arnage have been corrected and the final theft list has been revised. The Audi TT/Quattro previously ranked No. 136 with a theft rate of 1.4268 is now ranked No. 148 with a theft rate of 1.2575. The Bentley Arnage previously ranked No. 220 with a theft rate of 0.0000 is now ranked No. 221 with the theft rate unchanged.

VW informed the agency that the S4/Quattro ranked at No. 2 was incorrectly listed as the “24/Quattro.” Because the S4 is a model within the A4 vehicle line, production and theft totals have been combined for the A4 vehicle line and the theft data has been revised accordingly. The Audi A4 is now ranked No. 110 with a theft rate of 1.8970. Additionally, because the S6 is a model within the A6 vehicle line, production and theft totals have been combined for the A6 vehicle line and the theft data has been revised accordingly. The Audi A6 vehicle line is now ranked No. 188 with a theft rate of 0.6303.

Further review of the final theft list revealed that the Acura Integra was erroneously listed. The Acura Integra was not produced in MY 2002. The correct name designation for the vehicle previously ranked No. 87 (Integra) should be changed to the Acura RSX now ranked No. 88. The final theft list has been revised accordingly.

The following list represents NHTSA's final calculation of theft rates for all 2002 passenger motor vehicle lines. This list is intended to inform the public of calendar year 2002 motor vehicle thefts of model year 2002 vehicles and does not have any effect on the obligations of regulated parties under 49 U.S.C. chapter 331, Theft Prevention.