Almost everyone wants to have a car that catches the eye of passersby for all of the right reasons. What you don't want is a ride that is going to claim the attention of would-be thieves. Unfortunately, auto theft is something that a few owners will have to contend with. Those who are smart about their investments, however, can arm themselves with knowledge – and a sweet alarm system – to prevent the worst from happening. 

Most popular targets
The National Insurance Crime Bureau recently released its annual "Hot Wheels" report, which details the most stolen vehicles in the U.S. According to the data, the Honda Accord was the hottest target in 2013, as it was reported stolen nearly 54,000 times. Coming in right behind the Accord was the Honda Civic at 45,000 reported thefts. 

While Honda might have dominated the top two spots, full-size pickups were also popular choices for thieves. Chevrolet and Ford pickups took the third and fourth slots, respectively, with more than 26,000 thefts each. 

Also landing on the NICB's top 10 list were the Toyota Camry, full-size Dodge pickups, Dodge Caravan, Jeep Cherokee and Grand Cherokee, Toyota Corolla and Nissan Altima. All in all, the organization predicted that the total number of car thefts fell more than 3 percent in 2013, likely to the lowest point since 1967. 

What you can do
Is your ride somewhere in the top 10? Never fear, as there are things you can do to avoid theft. For starters, always lock your car and take your keys with you when you leave it out of sight. You'll also want to have a functioning alarm system and power locks, so you'll never have an excuse for not securing your ride. 

Another idea is to install some type of tracking device in your car. That way, if the vehicle does get stolen, you'll be able to track it down and recover it, which may significantly reduce your frustration and expenses in the long run. 

Prospective buyers who want to make sure they are doing everything they can to protect their investment should try to find a used car with a high-quality alarm system. If that's one of the items you're looking for in a purchase, browse the collection at NJ State Auto Auction. There, you'll find hundreds of Carfax-certified cars, trucks and vans that could be right for you.