Car theft picks up speed in SEQ’s coastal regions
.jpg?h=667&iar=0&w=1000&rev=658bcffdc04a489b80fe00664746a8e6&hash=61F732E5AE217E3840CE8ABC64CE32DA)
Concerningly, the Sunshine Coast saw the largest increase in car theft claims during the year, up by 160%, while the Gold Coast had a 62% increase and the highest number of claims by volume, with a total of 195.
RACQ Chief Executive Insurance Trent Sayers said it was alarming to see a substantial year-on-year increase in coastal areas.
“Even though many of us enjoy our coastal regions for a slower-paced lifestyle, it’s important for Queenslanders to be aware that car theft can happen anywhere,” Mr Sayers said.
“Across the Sunshine and Gold Coasts, residential areas and popular tourist spots have been targeted. “It’s troubling to see such large spikes in the number of claims for these areas, so we are urging Queenslanders to remain vigilant.”
The Club’s latest research also revealed car theft fears had substantially increased, with 54.2% of South East Queensland residents now being very or extremely concerned, compared with 38.1% during the same period last year.
Mr Sayers described the ways Queenslanders could reduce their risk of theft.
“The best way to protect yourself is to always treat your keys like cash, never leave them lying around on a table or in plain sight at the beach,” he said.
"We continue to see car thefts occurring simply because people leave their keys in the car, so never leave your keys unattended in your vehicle or store spare keys inside.
“It’s equally important to keep your keys out of sight when you’re at home and away from entry points, so opportunistic thieves aren’t tempted.”
The highest incidence of car theft occurred on weekdays between 11pm and 4am, RACQ’s data revealed.
“Where possible, park your car overnight in a locked garage or gated driveway and lock your car, even when it’s parked in a secure location,” Mr Sayers said.
“For those who don’t have access to a secure location, park in a well-lit or populated area and don’t leave any valuables in your car."
Mr Sayers also had advice for Queenslanders who had their car stolen.
“We understand the emotional and financial burden car theft can have on our members,” he said.
“If you find yourself in the unfortunate situation of having your car stolen, make sure you contact your local police immediately and then contact your insurer to check your cover and lodge a claim.”
Topping the list for the highest claims frequency in Queensland for FY24 was Townsville, inner city Brisbane and Brisbane’s south.
RACQ Insurance car theft claims in FY24:
|
Location |
Car theft claims FY24 |
Claim frequency |
Ranking |
Top postcodes by volume |
Car theft claims FY23 |
Change (%) |
|
Townsville |
164 |
0.5% |
1 |
4814, 4817, 4812 |
182 |
-9.89% |
|
Brisbane Inner City |
103 |
0.3% |
2 |
4005, 4170, 4169 |
169 |
-39.05% |
|
Brisbane South |
134 |
0.25% |
3 |
4109, 4152, 4116 |
155 |
-13.55% |
|
Queensland Outback |
18 |
0.23% |
4 |
4825, 4880, 4891 |
156 |
-88.46% |
|
Gold Coast |
195 |
0.22% |
5 |
4211, 4209, 4215 |
120 |
+62.5% |
|
Logan / Beaudesert |
119 |
0.21% |
6 |
4207, 4127, 4114 |
132 |
-9.85% |
|
Cairns |
63 |
0.2% |
7 |
4870, 4868, 4869 |
105 |
-40% |
|
Mackay |
50 |
0.17% |
8 |
4740, 4805, 4737 |
69 |
-27.54% |
|
Brisbane North |
65 |
0.17% |
9 |
4034, 4053, 4017 |
51 |
+27.45% |
|
Toowoomba |
50 |
0.17% |
10 |
4350, 4343 |
126 |
-60.32% |
|
Central Queensland (Fitzroy) |
69 |
0.17% |
11 |
4701, 4703, 4702 |
62 |
+11.29% |
|
Brisbane West |
44 |
0.16% |
12 |
4051, 4068, 4074 |
45 |
-2.22% |
|
Ipswich |
79 |
0.14% |
13 |
4305, 4300, 4077 |
74 |
+6.76% |
|
Darling Downs |
28 |
0.13% |
14 |
4352, 4413, 4370 |
56 |
-50% |
|
Moreton Bay South |
51 |
0.13% |
15 |
4503, 4035, 4500 |
36 |
+41.67% |
|
Moreton Bay North |
50 |
0.11% |
16 |
4510, 4506, 4505 |
62 |
-19.35% |
|
Wide Bay |
67 |
0.1% |
17 |
4670, 4655, 4570 |
39 |
+71.79% |
|
Brisbane East |
41 |
0.09% |
18 |
4165, 4178, 4157 |
46 |
-10.87% |
|
Sunshine Coast |
60 |
0.08% |
19 |
4573, 4551, 4575 |
23 |
+160.87% |
Note: The ranking is calculated by looking at the total number of RACQ car theft claims divided by the number of RACQ car insurance policies in each region.
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.