Michigan owners of black Dodge Caravans were at highest risk of having their minivans stolen on a Monday in July 2009, according to an annual report released Thursday the Detroit Free Press reported.

The Michigan Auto Theft Prevention Authority said the 2000 Dodge Caravan minivan was the most stolen vehicle among nearly 30,000 stolen statewide in 2009. In fact, five of the 10 most-stolen vehicles statewide last year were Caravans, and nine of the 10 most-stolen vehicles in the state were Chrysler products.

The only other automaker in the top 10 was Ford; the 1997 Taurus was in 10th place.

Given the state's auto heritage, "the top stolen vehicles in Michigan are always domestic cars," said Terri Miller, executive director of Livonia-based Help Eliminate Auto Theft, which provides rewards for tips that help bust car thieves and chop shops when people call 800-242-4328 or report online at www.1800242HEAT.com.

Chrysler models from the late 1990s and early 2000s are particularly targeted because they're known as "easy to steal," and weren't built with security equipment such as engine immobilizers, Miller said.

Black was the most popular color of the vehicles stolen last year. Mondays were the busiest days for thefts and July was the busiest month, according to the report.

Nationwide, foreign automakers lead the most-stolen list, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, with the 1994 Honda Accord favored most by thieves.

Dan Vartanian, executive director of the prevention authority, said annual vehicle thefts in Michigan fell by 16% in 2009, part of a 59% decline that's been going on since 1986.

Vehicles are taken most often for joyriding, for parts and for black-market export overseas, he said.

Vartanian said too many motorists make their vehicles easy prey by leaving vehicles parked with windows down or with keys still in the ignition. He said alarms, engine disablers, steering wheel locks and etching vehicle identification numbers, or VINs, onto vehicle windows are the best deterrents.