Thieves always go for vehicles that they can sell off easily

As the automotive industry is growing, car theft rate is rising accordingly. Auto thieves prefer to go for such a vehicle which is widely in use, easily disposable, or can be dismantled without much fuss. In America, late Honda Accord was the most stolen car reported last year. In 2013, they went away with 53,995 cars. Times change fast, hybrids and electric vehicles are coming in real fast and have become the real preference for thieves and the black market.

Toyota Prius

Which hybrid is the most attractive?

Obviously, Toyota Prius. Since the last decade, over 1.4 million cars have been sold, making Prius the ever-present sight on American roads. It has also become the industry standard for green cars all over the world for quite long. But unlike petrol or diesel powered cars as Honda Accord, the thieves went after Prius for its batteries. They don’t take the car anywhere, just take out the batteries and leave the car in some alleyway or abundant place.

Isn’t it risky to remove batteries?

Unlike the previously stolen vehicles, where the thieves take out the catalytic converters and stereos, thieves now go for the batteries in Prius. But this is not a simple smash and grab the job at all, the whopping 150 pounds of batteries produce 200 volts and require proper attention and the great deal of time.

Toyota Prius Interior

A Toyota-trained mechanic takes almost an hour to disconnect and remove the batteries safely, but a thief takes about 20 minutes to cut and remove the batteries. It presents the significant risk of electrocution if precautions have not been followed thoroughly.

Why on earth are they after batteries?

Toyota offers 100,000-mile warranty for a battery pack on the Prius. The late models are running out of their limits. The battery replacement costs a fortune and it runs as high as £1,964 for the new one. However, if you go for these stolen ones you only have to shell out £589, which is a cheaper alternative for owners.

Is there any way out of this?

Unfortunately, there is no permanent solution to this problem. Authorities on the other hand, recommend the use of tamper-proof bolts to hold the batteries down in place of the standard bolts. This can only make it time-consuming and possibly save your car.