Given that Ford has made so many Mustangs (around 8.5 million), plus the fact, the car ranks as one of the most affordable performance buys on the market, it probably isn't surprising that Ford's pony is also high on the list when it comes to theft rates.
According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, which has released its first ever "Hot Wheels" report, approximately 611,003 examples of the total 8.5 million produced since 1964 have been stolen. Among the worst years, were during 1980s, when 5.0-liter cars were among the most stolen vehicles in the country. In fact, even in the most recent consensus, the 1989 Mustang still made the top 10 list of Ford pony cars stolen.
But which model is the most stolen of all? Well, if you happen to own a 2000 Mustang, you might want to think twice about where you park it, since this car leads the pack over the last decade, with some 7,085 reports filed (out of a total of 91,152 Mustangs stolen between 2001 and 2011). What's interesting is that all of the top five most stolen Mustangs during that period were SN95 cars; 2nd was the 1995 model, followed by the 1998 and then the 2001 and 2002 models.
Overall, however, Mustang theft rates have actually been dropping. If you go back to 1981 (which ranks as the highest single year for thefts on record according to the NICB), some 20,708 reports were filed. The reason for the decline, along with vehicle theft in general in the US, is likely due to a combination of newer vehicles employing much more sophisticated anti theft systems and immobilizers and the reduced desirability of older vehicles among thieves, since over time, parts tend to decrease in value, since fewer examples of a particular model remain in circulation. That said, we're quite surprised that 1989 Fox chassis cars are still considered prime theft targets.
