You’ll sleep well tonight if you own a luxury car; it’s highly unlikely a car thief would steal it.

Statistics show one out of every three car stolen in the city is a Maruti-800.

India’s most-loved car has a special place in the hearts of the friendly neighbourhood car thieves too.

Delhi Police figures say it all. More than 50 per cent of stolen cars this year come from the Maruti stables — that’s 1,700 out of 3, 000. Of these, 650 are Maruti-800s — because it still has a great resale value. In contrast, only nine Honda Civic, a luxury car, have been reported stolen.

Police say Maruti cars are easier to unlock, drive away and sell than the bigger, expensive cars. “Buying a luxury car is easy but selling a stolen one is tricky,” said a senior police officer.

What makes the car so desirable is the sheer number of them on the roads. “Every second car is Maruti-800, so chances of a thief getting caught are slim,” the officer added.

The Maruti company has taken measures to tackle this problem. “After October 2006, all the cars have been fitted with iCats system. It immobilises the car if it is not started with the original key,” said spokesman for Maruti.