Queensland spent years near the top of Australia's car theft tables. The latest data suggests the state has finally turned a corner — but the risk is far from evenly spread, and the way vehicles are taken here has its own distinct pattern.
The numbers
Insurance Council of Australia analysis showed Queensland motor theft claims falling around 12 per cent in 2025 — described as the state's biggest improvement on record. Earlier ICA figures for the year to June 2025 put Queensland at roughly 6,000 theft claims worth about $104 million, with Brisbane accounting for around 2,700 claims a year.
The distinctive part: like NSW (and unlike Victoria, SA and WA), regional Queensland records more theft claims than the metro area. Townsville and Cairns in particular have been persistent hotspots for years, and Logan and the Gold Coast feature heavily in police data.
What thieves target
Toyota is the clear number one stolen brand in Queensland — around 1,700 in a recent 12-month state analysis — ahead of Holden and Ford. In practice that means:
- HiLux, LandCruiser and Prado — high resale value, strong parts demand, and when stolen for profit they're often never recovered.
- Older Commodores and Falcons — minimal security, taken opportunistically.
- Everyday Toyotas — Corollas and Camrys, targeted for sheer availability.
How cars are being stolen
The dominant pattern in Queensland is keys taken from homes — nationally the ABS puts around six in ten vehicle thefts at a residence, and Queensland's well-publicised youth offending problem leans heavily on exactly this method: break in, grab the keys, take the car. Electronic theft of keyless vehicles is growing here too, but the humble stolen key remains the main event.
Protecting your car
- Keep keys out of sight and away from entry points at home; consider a lockbox for spares.
- Sensor lighting and cameras around the driveway genuinely deter opportunists.
- Lock the house and the car — even at home, even in the garage.
- An OBD port lock protects keyless models; a steering lock slows everyone.
- A GPS tracker is the difference between a recovery in hours and a write-off.
Buying a used car? Check before you pay
- Run a PPSR check for stolen status, write-off history and money owing.
- Match the VIN against the papers and the seller's ID against the registered operator.
- Use the Queensland Police online crime map to understand theft patterns in your suburb.
If your car is stolen
Call 000 if it's happening now, otherwise report via Policelink on 131 444. Then notify your insurer and the Department of Transport and Main Roads, and watch for tolls and fines.
Figures reflect ICA and state reporting available in early 2026. For current data, see the Queensland Police Service's online crime statistics.