Most wanted: Top 10 stolen vehicles, repeat car thieves

Pickups a prime target for car thieves If your car isn't on the list, your truck just might be. Penny Daflos has the list of top stolen vehicles in the province.

Trucks are becoming the most common target of vehicle thieves in British Columbia, according to a top 10 list released by RCMP.

Overall, theft of vehicles was down by 4.8 per cent in 2016, officials said at a news conference Tuesday.

The most common vehicles to be stolen last year were Ford F Series pickup trucks, according to a list put together by the Integrated Municipal Provincial Auto Crime Team. Dodge, GMC/Chevy and Toyota pickup trucks were also a popular target.

Public Safety Minister Mike Morris said an average of 32 vehicles are stolen every day in the province, and half of those are trucks.

"Finding your vehicle broken into is a traumatic situation for a lot of people," Morris said.

To avoid the trauma, the ministry and police officers are warning drivers to take preventative measures to help prevent theft and break-ins.

They offered drivers a series of tips including using an anti-theft device, taking valuables with them when they leave their vehicles and storing items out of sight before reaching a destination.

They are also advising the public not to leave running vehicles unattended. Drivers should also not leave keys in vehicles or use their trucks as extra storage. A full list of tips is available online.

Older vehicles are taken more frequently because they are less likely to have an electronic engine immobilizer, officials warned.

Here are the complete lists of most common stolen vehicles by region:

Lower Mainland

*38% are trucks

Outside Lower Mainland

*77% are trucks

All British Columbia

*50% are trucks

RCMP also released a list of the top ten suspects most wanted in connection to auto thefts. The list includes those known to break into parking garages, those convicted of stealing bait cars and those who have used stolen vehicles to commit other crimes.