Two Subaru Models are on the Top 10 List of Stolen Cars in Oregon
24 Jan 2017
A number of car owners have posted about their stolen 90s Subaru models in Portland on Facebook.
One victim, Cindy Huber, who is a resident of Southeast Portland, claims she had a 1993 green Subaru Impreza that was stolen right from her carport sometime between the early hours of Christmas at her apartment complex. She said she went shopping for presents and then visited her family only to come home and find her car missing.
The National Insurance Crime Bureau statistics show that among the top 10 stolen vehicles for 2015 in Oregon, two are 90s Subaru models: the 1998 Legacy and the 1999 Impreza.
In the past, many of these Subaru models have disappeared from safe residential streets or public places during the daytime with many people watching. Most of the cars were locked.
In 2014, within the first 11 months, there were around 20 stolen Subarus reported in Portland each month. Ninety vanished in December. Most of them were either the Impreza or the Legacy models, according to Sgt. Pete Simpson, Portland Police Bureau spokesman.
Sherwood’s Horizontal Motor Sports works on repair and customization for Subarus. And, according to Steve Hamann who is the co-owner, it’s the older Subaru models that are easiest to steal. He believes it’s because they have a less secure, older key.
He claims that anyone can simply break a window, climb inside the car and use a hammer or other tool to defeat the ignition. The newer models now have a key with an encryption chip, he says.
This encryption supposedly communicates with the car when it’s put inside the ignition. Therefore, you can’t start the car if the code does not match the car’s computer, he says.
For anyone who owns a Subaru or an older car, it’s recommended that you install a GPS tracking for cars device. With GPS tracking, you can locate your stolen Subaru in real-time before the thieves have a chance to tear it apart. GPS tracking also helps police officials to make quicker arrests and get your car back to you safely.
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