There's no feeling quite like the shock and disappointment of finding an empty parking spot where your car once was and quickly realizing it's been stolen. 

Many know the feeling all too well, as rates of overall car theft are currently soaring in Canada, according to data provided to the Toronto Star, with 6,000 vehicles stolen in Toronto alone so far this year — representating a 10 per cent increase over 2020.

And the thefts aren't random. As it turns out, the owners of specific, in-demand vehicles actually have a much higher chance of having their ride taken than others, and the Toronto Police Service has shared the list of the top 10 most-stolen vehicles this year with blogTO. 

At the very top of the list is the Honda Cr-V, with 654 incidents of theft assiocated with this kind of car reported since December of 2020.

Up next is the Lexus Rx350, with 418 incidents. 

Honda Civics, Land Rover Range Rovers and Toyota Highlanders each saw similar stats in 2021, with 260, 225 and 200 thefts reported, respectively.

One hundred and seventy-six incidents meanwhile involved a Ford F150, 145 invovled a Honda Accord, 123 involved a Toyota Corolla, 70 involved a Toyota Rav4 and 62 involved a Hyundai Elantra. 

But while certain types of vehicles may have higher chance of being stolen than others, police say there are still measures all drivers can take to help reduce the risk of having your vehicle stolen.

When parking your car, these measures include never leaving your vehicle unattended while it's running, always removing the keys and taking them with you, parking in a well-lit area, ensuring doors and windows are completely closed and locked, and never leaving valuable objects in plain view.

When parking at home, police recommend using and locking your garage if you have one, installing a motion sensor light to light up your vehicles and garage, installing security cameras outside that point at your vehicle if possible, using a visible steering wheel lock, and, when not in use, placing your vehicle fob key inside a faraday bag (radio frequency shielding bag/pouch) to block cell signals.

And if your vehicle does happen to get stolen, be sure to report it to police immediately.