In addition to rising motor vehicle thefts, thefts from motor vehicles have also surged nearly 40 per cent, making it the most common and fastest growing crime in the state.
Two out of the five fastest growing crimes in Victoria are related to cars, according to the state's police, with theft from a motor vehicle and motor vehicle theft skyrocketing nearly 40 and 50 per cent respectively in the last 12 months.
Ranked at number one as the “most common and fastest growing crime” as found by the Victoria Police’s Crime Statistics Agency, is theft from a motor vehicle.
In the year ending March 2025, there were 82,414 offences reported, which is 23,259 or 39.3 per cent more offences than the year before.
Offenders are often opportunistic, looking for valuables such as wallets, cash, or tools, according to Victoria Police.
While it may seem like a no brainer, police are imploring owners to always remember to lock vehicles, as almost half of all these thefts show no signs of forced entry.
However, the huge jump in theft from a motor vehicle crime is largely due to stolen number plates, which increased by 10,042 or 49.6 per cent from before to a total of 30,299 in the last year – making up more than a third of reports in the category.
Third on the list of the top five crimes in Victoria in the last year is motor vehicle theft.
There were 31,551 reported offences in the 12 months to the end of March 2025, which was over 10,000 more or a 47.1 per cent increase in offences.
Motor vehicle theft is now at a near-25-year high, with Victoria Police stating the figure is at its highest point since 2002.
There has also been an uptick in one specific method of offence: “Electronic devices capable of programming or mimicking keys to steal cars,” the police report stated.
The most at risk targets of these thefts with the electronic method are Holdens, Subarus, and Toyotas with push-to-start technology, with thefts of these brands tripling in the last month alone compared to the last five years.
More worrisome, 763 stolen cars in the report’s year of data were involved in collisions, six of which resulted in fatalities.
The report also calls out child crime, defined as offenders aged between 10 and 17 years old, which overall is at its "highest level since electronic records commenced".
Victoria Police state that child crime is overrepresented in car theft offences, with more than a quarter (27%) of stolen vehicles coming from that age demographic.
Victoria Police advise people to attend community-run safety days, replace licensed plate screws with anti-theft screws, and install on-board diagnostic port locks for those who drive a push-start car.
As for parking, the best is, of course, secured garages.
But if you park in a driveway, consider setting up motion sensor lights and even installing a camera.
If you don’t have the luxury of a driveway or covered car park, the next best place is a well lit street.
And always remember to take your valuables out of the vehicle and lock it behind you.
