As Jamaicans have their top three stolen motor vehicle models — Toyota Corolla, Nissan Sunny and Honda Civic — in that order, in the US more upscale models are the target of crooks.

According to an Associated Press report the Cadillac Escalade tops the list of new cars stolen in the US.

Each year, 10.8 out of every thousand late model Escalades end up getting stolen, broken into, or having parts ripped off, an analysis from the US Highway Loss Data Institute is quoted in the report.

“That’s the highest rate of theft claims of any vehicle in America. The Escalade has topped the list since 2002. You may have heard that a lot of Toyota Camrys get stolen. They do. But it’s only 1.6 out of every thousand,” the report said.

The report added that the Institute looked only at cars from the most recent three model years. These cars all have the latest anti-theft technologies, including engine immobilisers that prevent hot-wiring.

“That won’t stop a determined thief from loading a car on a flat-bed truck,” said the Institute’s spokesman.

Escalades are equipped with anti-theft ignition immobilisers that prevent them from being started without a special key.

Second on the Institute’s list is the Chevy Silverado, with an annual claim frequency of eight out of every thousand.

According to the report the Ford F-250 crew-cab pickup, Infiniti G37 two-door car, Dodge Charger with its high-power HEMI engine and Chevrolet Corvette Z06 round out the list of the top five vehicles most likely to be the subject of insurance theft claims in the US.

Least likely targets of car thieves are family vehicles like the Volvo S80, Saturn Vue, Nissan Murano, Honda Pilot and Subaru Impreza.

The Highway Loss Data Institute, which is part of the Arlington-based Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, calculated theft claim rates for vehicles from the 2007-2009 model years. The data reports thefts per insured vehicles on the road.

The Escalade, which starts at US$62,495, has ranked as the most-stolen in six of the last seven reports.

Almost one in every four Escalade theft claims is for US$40,000 or more.

Large SUVs like the Escalade have the highest overall theft losses, with large pickups second. Pick up trucks are targeted for various reasons the Institute said. In addition to their looks, large pickups can be used for work or they might be carrying valuable tools or cargo.

The Institute said the frequency of theft claims for cars and SUVS has been declining since 1998. Pickup thefts also had been on the downswing until 2006, when the Institute noticed an uptick in claims.