The most popular car to steal on The University of Memphiscampus is a SUV or a truck. In contrasting, smaller cars like theToyota Camry and the Honda Accord are stolen the mostnationally.
Of the cars that were stolen or that thieves attempted to stealon campus in the first six months of 2003, 10 of 16 were Suburbans,Silverados and other sport utility vehicles. But on the list of thetop 10 car models stolen in the United States, as compiled by theNational Insurance Crime Bureau, there were no sport utilityvehicles. The largest vehicles listed were the Toyota pickup andthe Toyota van.
On-campus thefts from 2001 and 2002 include only a smallpercentage of Sport Utility Vehicles.
The rise in number of trucks and sport utility vehicles stolenis part of an upward swing in the number of stolen cars on campusthis year.
Only six months into the year, the total number of car thefts orattempted car thefts, 16, is greater than all of last year'stotal,15.
Derek Myers, associate director of the Department of PublicSafety, said that that trend is also occurring nationally -- notjust in car thefts, but in other crimes also.
"When the economy is bad, you will start to see a jump," Myerssaid.
Most of the cars are recovered, often a day or two later.
They are found "anywhere from North Mississippi to many parts ofMemphis," Myers said.
He said they are usually used just to get around or possibly tocommit a crime.
However, this year many of the cars have not been found and thatusually means that a car has been stripped for its parts.
Myers said that the most popular cars are usually targeted fortheir parts because there is more demand.
But that may not be a reason to buy a different type of car. Thenumber one reason popular cars are stolen the most is "shearnumbers," Myers said.
While the most popular vehicles to steal on campus in 2003 aresport utility vehicles and trucks, the most likely place to have acar stolen is the Southern lot. The percentage of vehicle thefts ortheft attempts that have occurred there so far this year is 62.5percent. Other car thefts are scattered around the campus.
Myers said that it may just be because focus on other lots wasso great that thieves have chosen to move to the Southern lot.
At times there has been no one in the towers on the lots, butMyers said that if there is no one in the tower above the Southernlot, someone is moved there from the Central lot. The problem,Myers said, is that The University has had to hire a temp agency --they have had trouble filling the slot.
Dannise Hobson had her 1986 Pontiac Parisienne stolen from theCentral lot. It was found but was stripped of all its parts. Shehad no idea if anyone was in the tower when her car was stolen, butshe said that there should be security personnel in the tower thatcan do something if a crime occurs.
Myers said that he would like to put surveillance cameras aroundthe Southern lot -- but problems with funding must be worked outfirst. Myers said campus police are considering include addinganother tower and hiring students to sit in the towers.
