Gold Coast residents are urged to be vigilant, with the city once again recording the highest amount of car theft claims in the whole of Queensland.
New data from RACQ reveals there was a total of 182 claims in the last financial year.
This figure is actually a 16.5% decrease from last year, but was still enough to be the most across the state.
The Gold Coast hotspots are in 4209, 4220 and 4221 postcodes which take in areas including Pimpama, Upper Coomera, Burleigh Heads and Palm Beach.
Across Queensland, there’s been 1,760 claims for stolen vehicles last financial year, which is a 10% increase from the previous year.
Chief Executive Insurance Trent Sayers said car theft remains a key issue in Queensland, affecting thousands of car owners each year.
“RACQ Insurance alone has seen a 10% increase in car theft claims over the past year, with Townsville, Cairns and Brisbane’s inner city experiencing the highest frequency of stolen vehicles,” Mr Sayers said.
“According to insurance claims data, one in three vehicles was stolen between 1am – 4am, and more incidents occurred on the weekend than any other day of the week.
“Unsurprisingly, our research also found more than half of Queenslanders are aware of rising car thefts in their area or nearby, and of those, 40% are very concerned about the growing risk.”
Mr Sayers encouraged vehicle owners to stay alert and take precautions to protect their vehicles.
“Queenslanders must keep security in mind when parking their cars, particularly overnight,” he said.
“When possible, park your car in a locked garage or gated driveway and lock your car, even when it’s in a secure location,
“If a secure location isn’t an option, park in a well-lit populated area and remove any valuables from your vehicle to ensure thieves aren’t tempted,
“Drivers are urged to keep their keys in a hidden location within the home, well away from entry points, so that opportunistic thieves cannot easily access them.”
According to the data, the Toyota Hilux, Toyota Landcruiser and Toyota Corolla were the most stolen vehicles, with older aged vehicles tending to be the target for thieves.
