Victoria has recently been labelled Australia’s “car theft capital”.
According to the Insurance Council of Australia, more than A$243 million was paid out in Victoria last year in 12,500 claims involving stolen vehicles and thefts from motor vehicles.
Between 2024 and 2025, the state recorded a 25% increase in motor vehicle theft claims. There was also a 37% increase in associated costs.
As vehicle theft claims fall in several other states, Victoria is heading in the opposite direction.
The question is, why?
Why Victoria is becoming an outlier
Insurance Statistics Australia data suggest Victoria is increasingly an outlier when it comes to vehicle theft. But it provides limited insight into what is driving the increase.
To understand why Victoria is experiencing rising vehicle theft while other states are declining, we need to look at a broader range of factors.
According to Victoria Police, a key factor is the increasing use of electronic devices to steal cars.
Victoria Police say more than 10,000 vehicles are stolen using electronic theft methods each year. This is around 30 vehicles every day. In fact, Victoria Police has linked the growing use of these technologies to the highest levels of vehicle theft recorded since 2001.
Cars with keyless entry are a particular target, with theft techniques becoming more sophisticated.
Old fashioned techniques such as forced entry and hot-wiring have been replaced with key cloning, key mimicking, or key reprogramming devices. These can access a vehicle’s electronic systems, override security features, program new keys, and start the car without the original key being present.
This technology is available in all states and territories but it seems Victoria is being hit hardest in Australia. This may indicate policing or policy issues.
Organised crime may be part of the picture. In March this year, the Victoria Police Vehicle Crime Squad uncovered an alleged international syndicate accused of stealing more than 150 vehicles worth more than $20 million and exporting them overseas for profit.
Youth offending patterns also need consideration. In a state where youth crime remains a regular feature of public and political debate, young people continue to be over-represented in carjackings and aggravated burglaries, offences that are often linked to vehicle theft.
Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Robert Hill has argued some young people involved in vehicle theft are being recruited by organised crime groups. He has described them as “minions” used to carry out offending on behalf of older criminals.
Read more: What can Australia do about reports of child criminal exploitation?
While organised crime and youth crime are both Australia-wide issues, Victoria’s Youth Gang Strategy notes the significant overlap between youth and serious organised crime networks in the state.
So it’s likely Victoria’s vehicle theft problem is not driven by a single factor.
What other states and territories are doing
Queensland provides an interesting comparison. There, motor vehicle thefts went down 12% between 2024 and 2025, the largest decrease on record for the state.
In February 2026, Queensland Police launched Operation Yankee Forge, a six-month operation targeting burglary, robbery and vehicle theft. More than 2,000 offenders were charged with over 5,000 offences in the first six weeks.
In 2025, Queensland introduced its “adult crime, adult time” youth justice reforms, a year before Victoria’s recent bail and sentencing changes. Although it is too early to assess their precise effect of these two initiatives, the highly visible nature of these reforms may have played a role in shaping offender perceptions and behaviour.
Queensland’s approach highlights the potential value of sustained, highly visible, and state-wide enforcement activity focused specifically on vehicle theft.
Western Australia and South Australia have also recorded a reduction in vehicle theft claims. SA has invested in prevention initiatives such as the award-winning Stop Car Theft Program, a partnership between South Australia Police and the Royal Automobile Association of South Australia that combines enforcement, public education and crime prevention activities.
The WA government has made it compulsory to fit a government-approved immobiliser – which greatly reduce the chance of having your car stolen – when a vehicle is registered or transferred.
Tips to keep your car safer
While there is no single solution to vehicle theft, some of the most effective prevention measures remain the simplest.
Removing valuables from your vehicle, using a steering wheel lock, parking in well lit locations, and installing sensor lighting and CCTV around driveways and parking areas can increase the effort and risk involved in offending.
These measures work by making vehicles less attractive targets and increasing the likelihood offenders will be seen, challenged, or interrupted. They can reduce opportunities for offending and make vehicles less appealing to potential offenders.
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