What are the most stolen cars in Australia?
The following numbers are according to the 2017/18 financial year, which saw a total of 42,138 cases of car and light commercial vehicle thefts. The silver lining is this indicates a 9% decline in car theft compared to the previous financial year - 46,327. However, this does not mean you can lower your guard. Car thieves are an opportunistic bunch and if you own any of the models listed below, you may need to take extra steps to secure your vehicle.
These statistics are available on the NMVTRC carsafe website.
5. Ford Falcon BA (02-05) (527 thefts)
(photo by Jeremy, via WikiMedia Commons)
Since the production of Falcons ceased in 2016, they have become valuable commodities. None more so than the BA Falcon, which tops the list of stolen Falcons and lands itself in the number 5 spot of the most stolen cars in Australia.
4. Holden Commodore VY (02-04) (535 thefts)
(via WikiMedia Commons)
Holden’s counterpart and rival to the BA Falcon, VY Commodores are also highly sought-after by car thieves and joy riders.
3. Toyota Hilux (05-11) (589 thefts)
(photo by Matthias93, via WikiMedia Commons)
The best-selling ute in Australia is also one of the most stolen vehicles in Australia. Due to their ubiquity, the Toyota Hilux is a sought-after target for chop shops looking to dismantle them and selling their parts to less reputable repair shops or overseas black markets.
2. Nissan Pulsar N15 (95-00) (741 thefts)
(via WikiMedia Commons)
This humble little hatchback has been a favourite among car thieves and joy riders for years, particularly the older models because they are easily broken into. However, there has also been a significant drop in the number of Pulsars stolen, with 741 thefts last year, down from 943 thefts in 2016/17.
1. Holden Commodore VE (06-13) (906 thefts)
(photo by Fotosleuth, via WikiMedia Commons)
The second-last generation of Australian-made Commodores, the VE was the most stolen car of the 2017/18 financial year. The Commodore nameplate inspires a sense of pride from being one of Australia’s signature vehicles driven by ordinary people, enthusiasts, taxi-drivers and policemen alike. But the name also brings a sense of sadness as it was the last of the Australian manufactured cars and across all models the Commodore is the most stolen vehicle in Australia by far.
If your car made this list, don’t be complacent!