Home → Publications → Reports → Crime prevention series → Preventing car theft and crime in car parks → The problem
Crime prevention series
The problem
Published in:
Preventing car theft and crime in car parks
Susan Geason and Paul R Wilson
Canberra : Australian Institute of Criminology, 1990
ISBN 0 642 14939 9 ; ISSN 1031-5330
(Crime prevention series) ; pp. 5-8
Australia
Autocrime takes two forms: theft from cars and theft of cars. Large public car parks pose other threats as well: poor lighting and lack of surveillance can turn them into hangouts for vandals, robbers and rapists.
In 1986-87, 132,675 motor vehicles were stolen in Australia, costing insurance companies an estimated $53.7 million (Insurance Council of Australia 1988). Since 1978, thieves have made off with 834,581 vehicles, at an estimated cost of $3.3 billion. According to the Insurance Council, 12,000 of those vehicles were left unlocked, and owners left keys in the ignition of 6,500 of them, indicating that simple common sense precautions could have prevented 18,500 car thefts and saved an estimated $74 million.
About 27 per cent of cars were stolen from car parks and over a third from near owners' homes. In fact, 25 per cent of the latter were stolen outside the owner's home and nearly 9 per cent from the owner's driveway, while 20 per cent were stolen from other streets (Weekend Australian 28-29 May 1988). A 1987 NSW Police Task Force maintained that 69 per cent of the State's car thieves arrested were 18 or younger.
Although NSW still has the highest theft rate in Australia, this has fallen more steeply than other States, and is at its lowest level since 1981. The incidence of theft also fell in Victoria, the ACT and Western Australia; South Australia's remained stationary and Tasmania's increased.
New South Wales
In the 1987-88 financial year, 56,000 cars were stolen in New South Wales, and the NRMA (May 1989) estimated the direct cost to the community of theft of cars in 1988 as $113 million. The police estimate that each year they devote 100,000 hours to recording car theft crime statistics before any investigation is undertaken. Auto theft is therefore one of the most costly crimes in terms of police resources when both time and manpower are considered.
Theft of cars has been decreasing, however, with 1987-88 numbers down 18 per cent and costs down $9 million over 1986-87. The NRMA speculates that increased public awareness and police activity are responsible for the drop in car thefts.
Sydney - Car theft capital of the world?
Car theft in Australia is worst in metropolitan Sydney, with the Chief Insurance Executive of the NRMA calling it "the car theft capital of the world" (Sydney Morning Herald 3 June 1988). He said Friday was the worst time for car theft, and Sunday the lowest risk day. Most car thefts took place between 6 pm and 6 am and the street was the worst place to park.
The pattern of car thefts in metropolitan Sydney is changing, however. In 1987 there were 25 suburbs (or postcode areas) which were classified as extreme or high theft risk areas, compared to 41 in 1986. In 1988 this dropped to 20.
In 1988 Liverpool took over from Cabramatta as the worst area for theft of cars. In 1988, as in the previous year, Sydney City was the worst area for theft from cars, with 1988 claim numbers running four times higher than those from Cabramatta, the second worst area.
The thieves
The NRMA divides car thieves into four key groups - professionals, joyriders, petty thieves and fraudulent claimants. In 1987-88
- professionals accounted for 38 per cent of car thefts or 54 per cent of the total cost of car theft;
- joyriders stole about 36 per cent of cars at 23 per cent of the total cost;
- petty thieves were responsible for almost 22 per cent of the number and 16 per cent of the cost; and
- fraud, running at a little over 4 per cent, accounted for over 7 per cent of the cost (NRMA May 1988).
The proportion of insurance claims arising from fraud and petty theft has fallen from its 1987 level, but the incidence of professional theft grew - up from 24 to 39 per cent. Professional theft remains the most costly element of theft claims.
Target vehicles
Older models are the main target for theft, while new cars are the major targets of accessory stripping. Luxury vehicles and sports cars are the highest-risk cars to own. Sports cars are the most popular type of car stolen, particularly by professionals, while late-model luxury vehicles show the highest incidence of theft from claims - for example. Audi, Mercedes Benz, Peugeot, Statesman, Range Rover and a large number of Ford models. The latest SAABs are the highest-risk luxury car, with a theft from rate of 162 claims per 1,000 policies, down from 200 the previous year.
Vehicle theft is most widespread in older vehicles, particularly those manufactured before 1980. Early model Belmont/Kingswoods, Commodores, Statesmans, Sunbirds, Cortinas, Escorts and Celicas fared poorly, though later models of these makes improved. Late models with high theft risk include the Fairlane, Fairmont Ghia, LTD, Statesman, and the Mitsubishi Lancer. The Bronco is the most stolen off-road vehicle.
High-quality stereo systems are still the most popular items stolen from cars. The manufacturers of the BMW, for one, have fought back by installing stereos that require a Personal Identification Number (PIN) for activation with the result that the "theft from" claim frequency for late model BMWs dropped from 48 per thousand to 10 between 1986 and 1988.
Target locations
In Sydney cars parked on streets are the main target for thieves, accounting for 50 per cent of stolen cars, with public car parks next at 15 per cent - down from 23 per cent) (NRMA May 1989). The number of thefts from shopping centres remained stable at 9.5 per cent. There has also been an increase in the number of cars stolen from club car parks and off-street parking (see Table 3).
These statistics correspond with those in a 1982 British crime survey showing that 23 per cent of stolen cars had been parked in the street, while only 14 per cent were stolen from a driveway and 6 per cent from a garage (Clarke May 1987). The message for car owners is obvious - if you have a garage or driveway, use it. The message for town planners is also clear - providing garage space or off-street parking can help reduce car theft.
Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays are the most active days for car theft, and Sundays the quietest. The majority of car thefts - 55 per cent - occur at night.