A state wide campaign for locals to protect their own vehicle is rolled out against thieves using new sophisticated technologies.
Both Crime Stoppers Victoria and Victoria Police are urging Victorians to take an active role in protecting their vehicles as part of a new state wide campaign targeting a sharp rise in car thefts.
The never-ending rise has prompted “Level Up Against Car Theft” campaign empowering the community with practical steps to reduce their risk of car theft and to report suspicious activity to Crime Stoppers.
Stella Smith, chief executive of Crime Stoppers Victoria, said vehicle crime is no longer just random or opportunistic.
“Car crime might seem like bad luck, but in many cases, it is calculated and preventable.
“That is why we are urging Victorians to take simple, proactive steps. Locking your car, parking in safer spots, removing valuables, and using anti-theft devices can all make a real difference.”
City of Greater Dandenong has seen an all-time high of 1263 motor vehicle thefts already into 2025, a 30.5 per cent spike from last year according to Crime Statistics Agency.
Stealing from vehicles has also soared to 3105 a 22 per cent rise from last year, it’s also the highest since 2016.
This was also highlighted in CSA’s data released on 19 June with no indication of the trend to ease soon.
Makes such as Holdens, Toyotas and Subarus are being stolen at three to four times the rate recorded five years ago.
It has become crucial for residents to educate and invest in tools to safeguard themselves from tech savvy offenders.
Crime Stoppers website consists of interactive information about such tools such as RFID/Faraday Bag which blocks wireless signals to stop thieves from cloning or boosting the key fob signal.
Offenders are increasingly targeting vehicles with keyless entry and push-start systems, using devices that mimic or override factory settings commonly through the on-board diagnostics (OBD) port.
OBD Port lock is another popular tool of investment which physically blocks the offenders access to the cars diagnostic to prevent them from restarting or reprogramming the car.
It’s both cheap and easy to install.
Victoria Police Detective Inspector Julie Macdonald, from the Vehicle Crime Squad, said police are arresting a significant number of offenders in possession of key reprogramming devices, as police intelligence shows as many as one in five of all cars are disappearing despite their owners retaining the keys – indicating the use of this technology.
“These devices are turning up more and more at search warrants, while we’ve also seen some of our most prolific youth offenders using them to steal cars that are then used to facilitate further serious offending.
“In recent times, our Operation Trinity units have caught youth offenders throwing these devices from the car moments before being arrested.
“One of the biggest concerns for police is the increasing risk created on our roads as the number of stolen cars rises.
“These vehicles are often driven at extreme speeds, and as a result, we’ve seen a sharp spike in the number of collisions involving stolen cars, with 760 in the twelve months to March 2025.
“Police are continuing to target car thieves, as well as engaging with impacted manufacturers to address these technological advances, however we also implore the community to consider how they can foil tech savvy thieves.”
Operation Trinity, which runs every single night until dawn is Victoria Police’s most well-resourced frontline policing operation at present.
There are 70 additional police rostered each night, on top of existing patrols.
This includes frontline officers, Highway Patrol members, the Dog Squad, Public Order Response Team, and Air Wing.
Crime Stoppers provides a trusted and anonymous platform for people to share what they know.
If you have information, dashcam footage or CCTV footage that could assist, report anonymously to Crime Stoppers at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au or 1800 333 000
