If you don't want to have your car stolen as the summer travelseason starts, avoiding California is a good idea because seven outof the top 10 cities in the United States for auto theft are in theGolden State.

In one recent year, as many as nine California cities made thislist!

Do you know the way to San Jose? A lot of car thieves do, asevidenced by the Bay Area corridor leading the way in auto thefts.In fact, San Francisco leads the nation in auto thefts with over29,000 vehicles stolen in 2014. During this same year, the onlycities not in California were Seattle, Washington; Spokane,Washington; and Odessa, Texas.

Fortunately, auto theft is on the decline, and has been for afew years. From 2012 to 2014, the FBI estimates that theft ratesdeclined about 5.7% annually and have declined 42.8% since 2003.This is largely the result of the increased use of anti-theftdevices and telematics systems.

According to the Des Plaines, Illinois-based National Insurance Crime Bureau, here arethe top 10 cities for auto theft with rates based upon population(2015 data). It is possible for a smaller city to have a highertheft rate per capita than a larger metropolitan area.

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   1. Modesto, Califorinia (4,072).
   2. Albuquerque, New Mexico 6,657).
   3. Bakersfield, California (6,000).
   4. Salinas, California (2,934).
   5. San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, California (30,554).
   6. Stockton-Lodi, California (4,656).
   7. Pueble, Colorado (983).
   8. Merced, California (1,605).
   9. Riverside-San Bernadino-Ontario, California (25,001).
   10. Vallejo-Fairfield, California (2,352).

Related: Be smart: These are the top 10 states for vehiclethefts when the keys are left inside

According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, 51,290Honda Accords were stolen in 2014. (Photo: P.Harman/PC360)

In addition to where you live, what you drive plays a big rolein whether you may become a victim of auto theft. Here is a list ofthe most frequently stolen automobiles according to the NationalInsurance Crime Bureau:

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   1. Honda Accord (51,290).
   2. Honda Civic (43,936).
   3. Ford Pickup/full-size (28,680).
   4. Chevrolet Pickup/full-size (23,196).
   5. Toyota Camry (14,605).
   6. Dodge Pickup/full-size (11,075).
   7. Dodge Caravan (10,483).
   8. Nissan Altima (9,109).
   9. Acura Integra (6,902).
   10. Nissan Maxima (6,586).

As vehicle security continues to improve, one has to wonder whatthe crooks have up their sleeve. For those who have read theinsurance fraud thriller, “Swoop & Squat,” one of the scamsinvolved stealing and rebadging high dollar cars and shipping themto the Middle East and Asia to unsuspecting buyers. But many scamsaren't that elaborate, focusing more on stealing a vehicle to stripit down and sell the parts. In some instances, insurance fraud isinvolved as owners simply give their vehicles up for financialreasons.

Related: 10 least expensive 2016 model year vehicles toinsure

In years past, breaking into a vehicle was rather simple andcould be accomplished with a jimmy or coat hanger.

Today, many vehicles have much more elaborate systems withremote entry and push-button ignitions. One can only imagine thepotential as thieves hone their skills of hacking into mastercomputer modules. What will the future hold as manufacturersdevelop self-driving and eventually flying vehicles in the not toodistant future?

Taking just basic precautions can help make your vehicleless of a target. (Photo: iStock)

What we do know is that thieves are on the prowl and carsprovide lucrative targets. Regardless of where you live or what youdrive, here are 10 tips to protect your car from being rippedoff:

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   1. Lock your car.
   2. Park in a residential garage.
   3. Lock the garage door.
   4. If no garage is available, park in a well-lit area.
   5. Use a vehicle alarm and location systems (you'll likely get aninsurance discount, too).
   6. Don't leave your vehicle unattended and running.
   7. Use a steering wheel locking device, such as a “Club.”
   8. Install a kill switch.
   9. Hide your valuables.
   10. Drive a stick (most Americans, including thieves, don't knowhow to).

Related: 25 ways to keep your auto and home safe fromtheives this summer

ChrisTidball is a casualty claims consultant with San Diego-basedinsurance software company Mitchell International. He is also theauthor of several insurance based books,including ”Re-Adjusted, Blocking & Tackling” and“Swoop & Squat.”