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Why Thieves Don't Care About Your Car Stereo

New devices can't be transferred between cars

By Matt Cantor,  Newser Staff

Posted Mar 24, 2009 8:04 AM CDT

(Newser) – More than a million car stereos were stolen in 1994, but in the past 15 years, yearly thefts have plummeted by more than half, NPR reports. Why? Automakers now install good stereos from the start, and “there's no market for factory radios because they normally don't fit in any other cars,” says a technician. Years ago, drivers often replaced poor stereos with devices that were easily transferred to other cars.

As it is today, if a thief nabbed, say, a Volkswagen Jetta stereo, he could only sell it to a Jetta driver—and it would be the same stereo the driver had already. In the 1990s, a police officer said, every stolen car had the radio missing. Now, thieves will seize an umbrella or a pair of sunglasses before they take the radio.

Car stereos are no longer music to thieves' ears.
Car stereos are no longer music to thieves' ears.   (Shutterstock)
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COMMENTS
Showing 1 of 1 comment
AClotfelter
Mar 24, 2009 5:19 AM CDT
One situation where non-standardized components is a good thing ;o)

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