Queensland’s home theft hotspots revealed
Following a surge in home thefts totalling $6.1 million worth of property stolen across Queensland in 2023, RACQ is urging residents to take preventative measures to secure their homes.
Queensland regions experiencing increased home theft risk
Claims data from RACQ Insurance revealed the regions with the highest frequency of home break-ins were Brisbane’s southside, inner Brisbane and Townsville in North Queensland.
Last year, 1,327 home theft claims were received with the January-March quarter experiencing more claims than any other three-month period - making it a timely reminder to lock up before you leave home.
RACQ Group Executive Insurance Trent Sayers said it was disheartening knowing how many Queenslanders had been impacted by home theft in the past year, at a time when the cost-of-living was already taking a toll.
“RACQ Insurance has seen a 5% increase in the total volume of home theft claims over the past year with some regions, like the Wide Bay, seeing double the amount of claims compared to the previous year,” Mr Sayers said.
“Brisbane’s southside has experienced the highest number of home theft claims by volume with 208 claims, an 18% increase on the previous year.
“We also saw a 35% increase in the total cost of home theft claims in 2023 compared to the previous year and this is a result of increased claims volumes, higher value property being stolen and inflation.
“According to the data, more thefts occurred on weekdays than any other day of the week, with Monday being the most popular day for theft.”
Simple measures to deter home theft
Mr Sayers said there were some simple precautions people could take to deter opportunistic theft.
- Secure your entry points: Lock doors and windows and avoid hiding spare keys in obvious places.
- Consider security technology: Invest in a security system, light timers, or smart home features for remote control.
- Enlist help for extended absences: Have a trusted neighbour or friend collect mail, mow lawns, and manage bins to avoid showing an empty home.
- Be mindful of social media: Post vacation photos after returning home, not during your trip, to avoid advertising your absence.
- Report incidents promptly: Contact police immediately if your home is broken into, then contact your insurer to report the theft and lodge a claim.
- Preserve evidence: Do not touch or move anything until police finish their investigation. Take photos of any damage for insurance purposes once it's safe to do so.
RACQ Home Theft Claims 2023
|
Rank |
Region |
Claims Frequency 2023 |
Claims Volume |
Top postcodes by Volume 2023 |
Claims Volume |
Change |
|
1 |
Brisbane - South |
0.81% |
208 |
4152, 4113, 4122 |
177 |
18% |
|
2 |
Brisbane Inner City |
0.62% |
92 |
4011, 4060, 4170 |
90 |
2% |
|
3 |
Townsville |
0.55% |
80 |
4814, 4817, 4811 |
55 |
45% |
|
4 |
Cairns |
0.53% |
57 |
4869, 4870, 4868 |
83 |
-31% |
|
5 |
Logan - Beaudesert |
0.52% |
147 |
4123, 4207, 4118 |
134 |
10% |
|
6 |
Brisbane - West |
0.41% |
60 |
4075, 4069, 4074 |
54 |
11% |
|
7 |
Toowoomba |
0.39% |
58 |
4350, 4352 |
68 |
-15% |
|
8 |
Brisbane - North |
0.29% |
61 |
4034, 4012, 4053 |
56 |
9% |
|
9 |
Ipswich |
0.28% |
80 |
4305, 4300, 4077 |
97 |
-18% |
|
10 |
Gold Coast |
0.25% |
96 |
4211, 4209, 4220 |
116 |
-17% |
|
11 |
Fitzroy |
0.25% |
57 |
4701, 4702, 4680 |
64 |
-11% |
|
12 |
Moreton Bay - South |
0.23% |
51 |
4503, 4035, 4037 |
46 |
11% |
|
13 |
Brisbane - East |
0.22% |
64 |
4157, 4165, 4179 |
45 |
42% |
|
14 |
Wide Bay |
0.20% |
81 |
4655, 4670, 4570 |
40 |
103% |
|
15 |
Sunshine Coast |
0.16% |
70 |
4551, 4550, 4552 |
62 |
13% |
|
16 |
Mackay |
0.16% |
20 |
4740, 4751, 4742 |
12 |
67% |
|
17 |
Outback Queensland |
0.13% |
3 |
4825, 4490 |
3 |
0% |
|
18 |
Darling Downs - Maranoa |
0.12% |
9 |
4405, 4370, 4383 |
4 |
125% |
|
19 |
Moreton Bay - North |
0.11% |
33 |
4510, 4019, 4020 |
57 |
-42% |
Note: The ranking is calculated by looking at the total number of RACQ home theft claims divided by the number of RACQ home insurance policies in each region.
Looking for further guidance on safeguarding your home and belongings? We've compiled a list of valuable resources to empower you:
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