Modesto, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 07/18/2014 -- Nine of the 10 worst cities for auto thefts are in California, according to the newly released "Hot Spots" report from the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), an industry-supported nonprofit dedicated to preventing fraud and theft.

Man breaking into car, side view © Jessica Peterson/the Agency Collection/Getty ImagesCar thefts in worst-hit city of Bakersfield, California, occur 35 times more often than in the bottom-ranked city on the list, Harrisonburg, Virginia.

Bakersfield saw 725 thefts per 100,000 residents; Harrisonburg, just 21.

California has three ingredients that make it attractive for thefts, a California Highway Patrol spokesperson told Bloomberg News: An international border, ocean ports and dense population centers that provide plenty of opportunity.

For a complete ranking, see "380 cities ranked for car thefts."

The top 10 cities for car thefts

Rank
Metro area
Thefts
Rate

1
Bakersfield, CA
6,267
725.24

2
Fresno, CA
6,750
706.61

3
Modesto, CA
3,565
678.41

4
San Francisco-Oakland-Ha?yward, CA
29,326
649.34

5
Stockton-Lodi, CA
4,463
633.61

6
Redding, CA
1,120
625.77

7
Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
3,205
598.26

8
Vallejo-Fairfield, CA
2,540
597.95

9
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa? Clara, CA
10,925
569.12

10
Yuba City, CA
930
551.31

Thefts declining, but even so …
Overall, the NICB reports, thefts fell slightly to an estimated 698,000 in 2013 – but they are down 58 percent from their peak year in 1991 and at the lowest level since 1967.

In 2012, the most recent year for which data are available, these were the most stolen cars:
Honda Accord (58,596 stolen)
Honda Civic (47,037)
Ford Pickup (Full Size) (26,770)
Chevrolet Pickup (Full Size) (23,745)
Toyota Camry (16,251)
Dodge Caravan (11,799)
Dodge Pickup (Full Size) (11,755)
Acura Integra (9,555)
Nissan Altima (9,169)
Nissan Maxima (6,947)
Your auto insurance doesn’t cover theft unless you have purchased comprehensive coverage.

If you have comprehensive and your car is stolen, you’ll still have to pay your deductible. Insurance should pay to replace your vehicle at fair market value, or for repairs and towing if the vehicle is recovered.

Typically a comprehensive claim will not drive up your car insurance rates unless you have filed several claims in a relatively short period of time.

Four steps to keeping your car
The NICB offers a four-pronged approach to preventing thefts.

The first is simple, common-sense steps such as removing your keys, rolling up the windows, locking the doors and parking in a well-lighted area.

The second is some sort of visible or audible device warning that your car is protected. That could include a steering-wheel lock, VIN etching or an audible alarm that you set when you leave the vehicle.

Third is an immobilizing device that keeps thieves from starting the car. Those could include smart keys with a chip embedded, kill switches, fuse cut-offs and fuel-pump disablers.

Lastly, the NICB recommends devices that help track and recover a stolen car, which may include LoJack or onboard telematics systems such as OnStar.

While most anti-theft devices do result in a car insurance discount, the break is typically on the comprehensive portion of your premium only. Comprehensive is a relatively small part of most drivers’ premiums.

About Auto Insurance Modesto

How does it work?

Visitors can get free no-obligation quotes in three easy steps

1. Visit the website at http://www.caiautoinsurance.com/ and enter their zip code
2. Review possible savings from insurance providers in the location based listings
3. Click on at least 3 providers for free quotes and save from 30-70%

The online company aims to help consumers get cheaper quotes from a range of local and national insurance companies that provide discounts through their listings to help them save on car insurance. Continually revising their offers and discounts as well as adding new providers to keep their results at a high success rate of savings has led to them become one of the leading websites across the US for auto insurance quotes.

To try out their free service today, visit http://www.caiautoinsurance.com/, click here.