Car Theft Claims on the Rise Nationwide, Victoria Leads Surge
- admin928749
- Sep 4
- 2 min read
New data out today paints a pretty grim picture for Victoria, which has cemented its title as the car theft capital of Australia.
Figures from the Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) show that while motor vehicle theft claims dropped in every other state last financial year, Victoria went in the opposite direction — and not just slightly. The state recorded a 59% jump in claims and a 70% rise in costs, with more than 12,000 claims worth $223 million lodged between July 2024 and June 2025.
Most of that came from metro Melbourne, where claims surged 70% and costs jumped 80%. That added up to 10,000 claims worth $183 million in losses.
Nationally, car thefts were also on the rise, but nowhere near Victoria’s levels. Across the country, claims were up 11% to 30,000, totalling $466 million — a 20% increase in value compared with the year before.
Queensland, on the other hand, had its best year in more than a decade when it came to tackling car theft. Claims there dropped 11% to 6000, with losses falling to $104 million. Western Australia and South Australia also saw 10% declines, while New South Wales slipped by 3%.
Andrew Hall, CEO of the ICA, said the trend in Victoria is worrying:
“Motor theft claims have been climbing significantly over the last decade, and while they only make up a small part of overall motor claims, this is a growing concern. Everyone pays for car theft, through increased costs of policing, courts and ultimately insurance. We cannot accept this level of car crime as normal in Australia.”
The rise in stolen cars mirrors a broader theft problem across the country, again led by Victoria. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), theft rates nationwide hit their highest point in more than 20 years in 2024, with nearly 600,000 thefts recorded. That’s the most since 2003, edging close to the record 700,000 seen back in 2001.
Victoria recorded the biggest jump — thefts up 29% in a single year — followed by Tasmania with an 11% rise. Retail theft has been the standout driver, making up 45% of all thefts in 2024, compared with 32% back in 2010. Theft from homes, meanwhile, dropped, but motor vehicle thefts climbed 8% to 65,603.
The Crime Statistics Agency confirmed Victoria’s overall crime picture is getting worse, with offending up 15% in the 12 months to March 2025. Property and deception offences were the biggest category, jumping nearly 24% to 370,000 offences. Of those, thefts from vehicles made up a big chunk — almost 83,000 cases.
Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) head of crime and justice stats, Samantha Hall, said nearly 596,000 people were victims of theft in 2024, excluding motor theft. “These thefts, which include shoplifting and pickpocketing, have been continually rising since a drop during COVID restrictions,” she explained.
Chief statistician Fiona Dowsley added: “Theft offences have continued to rise sharply, with nearly a quarter of a million offences recorded in the last year. Increases were largest for thefts from motor vehicles and retail stores, with many of these offences linked to repeat offending.”
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