Western Australia is quietly the good-news story of Australian car crime: theft claims fell around 15 per cent in 2025 — the biggest drop of any state. But "improving" isn't "solved", and the risk in WA is heavily concentrated in one place.
The numbers
Insurance Council of Australia data for 2025 showed WA recording the largest reduction in motor theft claims nationally, continuing a broader decline seen in every mainland state except Victoria. Perth dominates the picture — the metro area accounts for roughly 2,700 claims a year, and unlike NSW and Queensland, metropolitan thefts in WA outpace regional ones.
That said, thousands of vehicles are still stolen across the state each year, and regional WA has its own pattern: 4WDs and utes taken in mining and pastoral areas, where recovery distances are vast.
What thieves target
- Toyota HiLux — consistently among WA's most stolen vehicles, valuable whole or in parts.
- LandCruisers — especially in regional areas, where they're both common and lucrative.
- Older Holdens and utes — pre-immobiliser-era vehicles remain the easy option for opportunists.
How cars are being stolen
The national pattern holds in WA: most thefts start at a home, usually with the car's own keys taken in a burglary or from an unlocked house. Electronic theft of keyless vehicles is an emerging factor, and number plate theft feeds other crime — plates on stolen cars, fuel drive-offs and worse.
Protecting your car
- Keys away from the front door; keyless fobs in a Faraday pouch.
- Garage or off-street parking beats the verge every time.
- Anti-theft screws on your plates cost a few dollars and remove an easy target.
- An OBD port lock for keyless models; a steering lock for older cars.
- A GPS tracker matters more in WA than almost anywhere — distances make unassisted recovery unlikely.
Buying a used car? Check first
- Run a PPSR check for stolen status, write-offs and finance owing.
- Match the VIN against the papers and the seller's licence against the registered owner.
- Be suspicious of well-under-market prices and sellers who won't meet at their registered address.
If your car is stolen
Call 000 if it's in progress, or 131 444 to report. Notify your insurer and the Department of Transport, and keep an eye out for infringements accruing in your name.
Figures reflect ICA reporting available in early 2026. For current numbers by suburb, see the WA Police Force crime statistics portal.