COEUR d'ALENE -- While on average three cars are stolen every day in Idaho - a total of 962 vehicles last year - there was a statewide drop in the crime for 2010, according to a recent insurance report.

Coeur d'Alene, with 132 thefts, had the third highest rate among Idaho cities, the NW Insurance Council said Tuesday. The theft rate is based on the number of thefts and residents of an area.

Coeur d'Alene had 204 thefts in 2009, for a decline of 35 percent compared with last year. There were 180 thefts in 2008, said Karl Newman, NW Insurance Council president.

"It went up, but it's back down again," Newman said. That follows the national trend, he added.

Coeur d'Alene police reported a 1999 Ford Taurus was stolen Tuesday from the driveway of a residence on the 1100 block of North 11th Street.

The report was completed by the nonprofit organization National Insurance Crime Bureau, based in Chicago. The bureau is an associate member of the NW Insurance Council, a trade association funded by member insurance companies serving Idaho, Washington and Oregon.

He said the council is publicizing the report as part of an effort to keep insurance rates lower.

"Consumers in America pay billions each year for auto theft," he said. "The cost to replace stolen vehicles and repair those that are recovered is reflected in your insurance rates."

In 2009, auto thefts cost residents more than $7 million in Idaho.

And, "People need to be alert to the crime of auto theft," Newman said.

Because it's getting increasingly difficult to steal newer cars, thieves are stealing older models.

"They're a lot easier to break in and hotwire," Newman said. He also said parts are valuable for older vehicles.

The top five stolen cars in Idaho include: 2004 Dodge Ram pickup, 1990 Chevrolet pickup (full size), 1992 Honda Civic, 1994 Honda Accord and 2002 Ford F150 pickup.

Not surprisingly, he said, the popular pickup truck is a prime target. There are five pickups in the top 10 in the state.