Why you don't want to take your Subaru Legacy to the beach

If you own a Subaru Legacy sedan, it’s a prime target for thieves at the beach. Why do Legacy owners need to be more careful?

If you own a Subaru Legacy sedan, you may not want to take it to the beach if you are in New Zealand. It’s summer down under and thieves are targeting the Subaru Legacy at the beach more than any other car. That’s from insurer IAG who reports the Legacy sedan accounts for almost one in 10 cars stolen when at the beach.

IAG says almost half of the thefts occurred during the heat of the day between midday and 6 pm when people are more likely to be at the beach. This was twice as frequently as those away from the beach. More thefts were reported on the weekends and during warmer weather. Thieves are stealing keys they find on the beach that were accidentally dropped, left in beach bags or hidden on wheel arches.

The insurer didn’t specify which model years were the most stolen, but older vehicles tend to be easier targets for thieves as they can be broken into more easily than newer models. AA Insurance says rather than target more expensive models, thieves are stealing cars manufactured more than 10 years old.

IAG’s claims expert, Chris Kiddey, said most car thefts at the beach were calculating and they go after the easy target. "The car with the open window or unlocked door is the easiest target, so make sure you do a quick check particularly if you have kids with you who may have forgotten to lock their door."

The top three most common car models to be stolen from beaches are the Subaru Legacy, Nissan Primera and Mazda Demio. If you own a Subaru Legacy and go to the beach in New Zealand, you have an even better chance of having the car stolen. What can owners do to prevent thefts at the beach? There’s some simple steps like always making sure the car is locked, secure your car keys, park in a public area and use a steering wheel lock.

Media source: IAG NZ