Alarming rise in Queensland car thefts
Queensland’s largest car insurer, RACQ, is warning motorists not to be complacent about vehicle security following a 20% increase in car theft insurance claims across the State.
RACQ spokesperson Ashleigh Paterson said RACQ received 1,827 claims for stolen vehicles across Queensland last financial year.
“It’s really concerning that car theft is a growing problem and causing issues for thousands of motorists,” Ms Paterson said.
“We’ve seen a 20% increase in car theft claims between FY21 and FY22, and that upward trend has continued in recent months with rates now above pre-Covid levels.
“Our data shows Toowoomba and Cairns have experienced the biggest jump in car theft claims, up by almost 90% and the Wide Bay region has seen a significant rise of 67%.
“Concerningly, our data also reinforced those areas with larger populations or elevated crime rates tend to continuously experience a high number of vehicles being stolen each year, rather than large spikes.”
Ms Paterson said there are some simple things drivers can do to secure their vehicle, and it starts with treating car keys like cash.
“As vehicle security improves, the easiest way to steal a car is to use the keys, so drivers need to be extra mindful about where they store their keys,” she said.
“Don’t leave your keys laying around in an easily accessible locations such as a table near the door or a key hook, and don’t tag your keys with identifiers like your name or address.
“Wherever possible, try to park in a garage or gated driveway, or when you’re not at home in a secure car park. If that’s not available, choose somewhere well-lit and well-populated to reduce the temptation for opportunistic thieves.
“Make sure, whenever you leave your vehicle, your windows are up, doors are locked and don’t leave valuables visible in the car.
“We recognise the emotional and financial toll a stolen car can have on our members.
“Members who do find themselves in the unfortunate situation of having their car stolen, should contact their local police and insurer to lodge a claim if their vehicle is covered under either Motor Comprehensive or Fire Theft and Third-Party Insurance.”
RACQ Insurance claims data:
|
Location |
Car thefts FY2020/21 |
Car thefts FY2021/22 |
Change (%) |
|
Cairns |
80 |
150 |
+ 87.5% |
|
Townsville |
142 |
148 |
+ 4.2% |
|
Mackay |
37 |
36 |
-2.7% |
|
Central Qld (Fitzroy) |
63 |
75 |
+ 19% |
|
Wide Bay |
40 |
67 |
+ 67.5% |
|
Sunshine Coast |
63 |
65 |
+ 3.2% |
|
Toowoomba |
65 |
123 |
+ 89.2% |
|
Moreton Bay - North |
65 |
68 |
+4.6% |
|
Moreton Bay - South |
40 |
46 |
+15% |
|
Gold Coast |
224 |
249 |
+11.2% |
|
Brisbane – South |
155 |
166 |
+7.1% |
|
Brisbane – Inner City |
118 |
155 |
+31.4% |
|
Brisbane – North |
71 |
68 |
-4.2% |
|
Brisbane – West |
43 |
43 |
0% |
|
Logan - Beaudesert |
124 |
153 |
+23.4% |
|
Maranoa / Darling Downs |
22 |
32 |
+45.5% |
|
Ipswich |
96 |
111 |
+15.6% |
Note: RACQ Insurance claims data inclusive of stolen vehicles and personal property stolen from vehicles
Related topics
-
The information in this article has been prepared for general information purposes only and is not intended as legal advice or specific advice to any particular person. Any advice contained in the document is general advice, not intended as legal advice or professional advice and does not take into account any person’s particular circumstances. Before acting on anything based on this advice you should consider its appropriateness to you, having regard to your objectives and needs.
Insurance products (excluding Travel Insurance) are issued by RACQ Insurance Limited ABN 50 009 704 152 (RACQ). Conditions, limits and exclusions apply. This is general advice only and may not be right for you. This information does not take your personal objectives, circumstances or needs into account. Read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and any applicable Supplementary PDS before making a purchase decision on this product. You can also access our Target Market Determinations on this website.
Banking and loan products issued by Members Banking Group Limited ABN 83 087 651 054 AFSL/Australian credit licence 241195 trading as RACQ Bank. Terms, conditions, fees, charges and lending policies apply. This is general advice only and may not be right for you. This information does not take your personal objectives, circumstances or needs into account. Read the disclosure documents for your selected product or service, including the Financial Services Guide and the Terms and Conditions, and consider if appropriate for you before deciding.
Except for RACQ Bank, any RACQ entity referred to on this page is not an authorised deposit-taking institution for the purposes of the Banking Act 1959 (Cth). That entity’s obligations do not represent deposits or other liabilities of RACQ Bank. RACQ Bank does not guarantee or otherwise provide assurance in respect of the obligations of that entity, unless noted otherwise.
RACQ Operations Pty Ltd (ABN 80 009 663 414 AR 000234978) and Members Travel Group Pty Ltd (ABN 45 144 538 803 AR 000432492) are acting as an Authorised Representative of the issuer of the insurance, Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co., Ltd. (ABN 80 000 438 291 AFSL 246 548). Any advice set out above is general in nature only, and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Before purchasing any travel products, please consider the RACQ Travel Insurance Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and the Target Market Determinations (TMDs) that apply to these products. Whilst the PDS outlines the Terms and Conditions of these products, the TMDs outline the intended class of customers that comprise the target market for these travel products. This will allow you to consider which products best suit your objectives, financial situation and needs and consider the products appropriateness to your personal circumstances. TMDs also outline matters involving the distribution and the review of these products. The PDS, Supplementary PDS and TMDs for each travel product can be found here.