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  More than one in three cars is stolen during the morning in New South Wales, Queensland, Tasmania, South Australia and Western Australia, according to the data from car insurance company Budget Direct.

Car thieves are early risers in most states, making the largest ratio of their attacks between dawn and noon, according to 2009 data.

More than one in three cars is stolen during the morning in New South Wales, Queensland, Tasmania, South Australia and Western Australia, according to the data from car insurance company Budget Direct.

The exception is Victoria, where 30 per cent of cars are stolen during midweek evenings.  Budget Direct spokesperson Richelle Ward says it is surprising to see how many vehicles were stolen in broad daylight.

"One might think thieves would prefer to operate through the night, which is simply not the case," Ward says.  The data shows that thieves also like the cold weather with most thefts occurring in the winter months around the nation, except for Queensland where summer is the most popular with thieves.

Tasmania's crime peak is in September which accounts for almost one in three car thefts. The same month accounts for 25 per cent of thefts in South Australia, while Western Australia’s peak month is April with 20 per cent of thefts.

Throughout the nation the most popular vehicle for thieves is the Holden Commodore which has also been the top seller for the past decade and most vehicles are stolen on a Monday.

However, in Western Australia, the Ford Falcon is twice as popular among thieves as the second biggest target, the Toyota Camry.  Budget Direct data also show almost half of all accidents across the nation occur between noon and 6pm on a Friday.  Ward says the accident data indicates a trend for drivers to switch off after a long week's work.