Edmonton car thieves favour older Hondas

OlderHonda cars have becomefavourites of car thieves in north Edmonton, say city police.

"We see older model cars stolen frequently because they are not often equipped with security features such as microchipped keys or anti-theft alarms and they make easy targets," saidacting Sgt.Keith Pitzel in a news release.

"Hondas retain their value, and there are many older models still on the streets, which makes them popular among thieves," he said.

Police say auto theft is up over last year in north Edmonton by 28 per cent and up city wide by 20 per cent.

In northeast Edmonton, one of every seven vehicles stolen was anolder-model Honda which arefrequently stolen while parked overnight on the street or in a parking lot, police said.

Thieves take the cars for transportation, to commit other crimes, for vehicle cloning, or to sell the parts, Pitzel said.

The Alberta Motor Association donated 100 steering wheel anti-theft locks to Alberta Honda which will distribute them to owners of older-model Hondas in north Edmonton.

Owners of 1989 to 2000 Hondas can stop by the dealership during business hours to get a free lock while they last.