WASHINGTON, Dec 31 (AFP) -- Car thieves are known to roam the streets on holidays, when people are most inattentive, but it's on New Year's Day when they work the hardest, the National Insurance Crime Bureau said on Thursday.

More than one million vehicles were stolen in 2008 across the United States -- 2,650 each day, or one every 33 seconds.

But on holidays, car thieves are most active, with 3,017 vehicles stolen on New Year's Day 2008, followed by 2,847 on Labor Day (September 1), and 2,727 on Halloween (October 31) -- Halloween is not a federal holiday.

"We know that thieves never miss an opportunity to make a quick buck by stealing a car," said NICVB president and CEO Joe Wehrle. "They work weekends, nights and holidays and ironically, they are particularly busy on New Year’s Day and Labor Day."