Victorian automotive thefts leap 40 per cent in a single 12 months

New information launched by Victoria’s Crime Statistics Company reveals the variety of vehicles being stolen has elevated considerably over the previous 12 months.

In response to official figures, there have been 28,482 motorcar thefts within the backyard state within the 12 months to June 2025 – in contrast with simply 20,477 the earlier 12 months.

The statistics are much more alarming when in comparison with 2022, with 13,185 vehicles stolen throughout that interval – revealing a 116 per cent enhance in simply three years.

Motorized vehicle thefts in Victoria at the moment are at their highest stage in additional than 20 years, with youngster offenders liable for a couple of in 4 of all vehicles stolen.

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Whereas these figures characterize profitable motorcar thefts, the variety of tried thefts additionally rose dramatically between 2024 and 2025, leaping from 2755 to 4536 – or 65 per cent – suggesting police and automobile house owners could more and more be making life tougher for offenders.

The variety of whole recorded offences within the state elevated by 15.7 per cent over the previous 12 months to June, nevertheless, officers say one of many predominant contributors was the variety of thefts (and tried thefts) from a motorcar, which jumped nearly 50 per cent.

In response to Victoria Police, quantity plates are the most typical merchandise taken from vehicles, accounting for 40 per cent of these offences – with stolen plates sometimes connected to stolen vehicles to assist evade police or steal petrol.

Aggravated residence burglaries – which are sometimes linked to a resident’s automotive being stolen – have additionally elevated by 20 per cent in Victoria in 2025, whereas tried aggravated burglaries went up by 42.5 per cent.

In response to police, repeat youngster offenders – aged between 10 and 17 – are over-represented, with 1128 youngsters being arrested a mixed 7118 instances over the 12 months to June. On common, every one among these youths is taken into custody no less than as soon as each eight weeks.

Whereas there have been 149 fewer youngsters arrested in contrast with 2024, the entire variety of arrests went up by 26.7 per cent.

Police say no less than one in 5 vehicles is stolen utilizing digital key reprogramming or mimicking know-how, with greater than 800 gadgets having been seized by authorities up to now 12 months.

“As a society, we merely can’t permit the extent of crime we’re seeing to develop into normalised and accepted – each Victorian deserves to really feel protected of their residence, inside the group and on the roads,” Victoria Police Deputy Commussioner Regional Operations Bob Hill stated in an announcement.