Purchasing a luxury car certainly has its fair share of perks. Better features, an easier car tune up, smoother ride, and not to mention the status it bestows upon its driver, all make luxury brands a large draw. However, because they're so appealing, high-end vehicles are also often targets for car thieves. Some brands are stolen more than others, and a recent report from the National Insurance Crime Bureau revealed that the Mercedes-Benz C-Class topped the list.
The C-Class was one of three products from Mercedes to make the list. The Mercedes-Benz E-Class came in at No. 4, while the S-Class landed rounded out the list at No. 10. Mercedes also was not the only German automakers to be well represented. BMW had two models on the list, with the 3 Series coming in at No.2 and 5 Series earning a place at No. 5. The only American-made luxury vehicle to be targeted by thieves was the Cadillac CTS, which was No 5. Despite its high rankings, Mercedes points out that many of its stolen cars are returned to their owners.
"The more desirable the vehicle, the more attractive the vehicle is to thieves," Donna Boland, a Mercedes spokeswoman, told The Detroit News. "A significant number of Mercedes-Benz models that are reported stolen are recovered, some very swiftly, thanks to our mbrace system, which includes a stolen vehicle tracking feature."
Not only are certain cars more likely to get swiped, some states are also particularly notorious for being home to a high level of luxury car thefts, and the same study found that California was at the top of the list. According to the data, California was home to almost 25 percent of the luxury cars stolen in the U.S. since the beginning of 2009.