El Caribe reports that a car is stolen every 14 hours in the Dominican Republic and that 20% of the stolen vehicles end up in Haiti. The vehicles of choice are SUVs and late-model cars and small trucks. During the first six months of this year, according to the insurance adjusters, 297 vehicles have already been stolen, while last year 384 vehicles were reported missing over the 12-month period. Over RD$400 million has been paid out to the insured owners of stolen vehicles over the past three years.
In a curious note, the police have different numbers than the insurance people. According to police statistics, there were 554 thefts reported so far this year, against 879 in all of 2002. The police recovered 1,343 vehicles, many having been missing since years before. The majority or the stolen vehicles, say the police, are either taken apart in clandestine workshops or are used for the commission of other crimes.