GREEN may mean go but that shouldn't mean going going gone - courtesy of a thief.
But apparently it does as green cars are the most popular among car thieves according to the research by Monash University Accident Research Centre.
While white may be the most common colour among cars, they are stolen at a rate of 2.65/1000 registered vehicles, well below green cars which top the list at 3.58/1000.
Black (2.96) and red (2.81) vehicles were the next most popular among car robbers, research by Monash University's Accident Research Centre found.
RAA Insurance Claims Manager Hayley Cain said it was surprising car thieves had a colour preference.
"We're quite surprised there is a correlation between vehicle colour and theft - who knew crooks had preferences,'' Ms Cain said.
"Having your car stolen (regardless of colour) is a huge inconvenience and, if you're not insured, a major financial setback so you should take precautions to reduce the chance of vehicle theft.''
These include:
- Park in your garage or carport, not on the road
- Sensor lights in your driveway are an excellent deterrent
- If you must park on roads, park in well-lit areas
- Always lock your vehicle, even if you're only leaving it for a couple of minutes
- Remove items of value from sight, and use your car alarm if you have one
- If you don't have a car alarm, the old steering wheel lock can be an effective deterrent
- Make sure your vehicle is insured against theft
The university's research of stolen vehicles also shows car thieves follow trends, because as the popularity of owning black cars increased by 29% from 2011/12 to 2015/16, the rate of thefts of this colour car also increased (by 56%).
The colour disparity becomes even clearer when looking at three top theft targets: the Nissan Pulsar, Holden Commodore VE and Holden Commodore VT.
The research found:
- Pulsar: Green is the most popular colour for profit-motivated thefts of this make and model, but for 'short-term' thefts (joyriding or to commit other crimes) red cars are used more often.
- Commodore VE: Black is favoured by thieves for this car - taking the top spot for both types of theft.
- Commodore VT: If your green VT has been stolen, it's most likely to be the victim of a short-term theft. If your black VT goes missing, the culprit is more likely looking to make a profit.
