Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays are the days when most cars are stolen in Costa Rica.
According to the Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ), until September 12th, 2016, 2,975 cars were stolen, while in the same period last year the number was 3,923.
Vehicles model year (MY) 1990-1995 are usually stolen for spare parts, but when the theft is intended to sell the car to an established customer, more expensive vehicles as MY 2010-2015 are the target and 4 × 4 diesel vehicles are also at risk,
said Walter Espinoza, director of the judicial police.
The Cantons with higher risk are: Alajuela, San José, Desamparados, Heredia and San Carlos.
If a more detailed study is done, the streets of downtown Alajuela, Montes de Oca and Guápiles are the places where most cars are stolen.
Last year, the OIJ provided data showing that most wanted cars by criminals: the Nissan Sentra, the Geo Tracker and the Hyundai Elantra, MY 1990 to 1999.
In addition, car-theft gangs have ‘junkyards’ to dismantle cars outside the Central Valley, but the most luxurious and new MY cars are taken to Panama, where they are sold on the black market.