More than 10,000 vehicles a year are now believed to be stolen using key-cloning technology in one Australian state, as police reveal they seized 800 of the devices from prolific car thieves in the past year.
Police warn that the emerging tactic in Victoria has coincided with a concerning rise in vehicle theft across the state.
New data from the Crime Statistics Agency shows a staggering 33,212 vehicles were stolen in the year to September 2025, marking a significant increase in recent years.
Police say more than one in four stolen cars are now taken using technology that mimics or reprograms a vehicle’s key.
The method is most commonly used on vehicles with push-button start systems, allowing thieves to bypass security features and drive off without breaking into homes or confronting owners.
In many instances, victims say their keys were still in their possession, with their cars simply “vanishing”.
Melbourne man Mark Josem was left badly shaken after his car was broken into outside of his Glen Iris home in the city’s southeast last year.
Mark was disposing of his daughter’s nappies when he noticed one of the windows of his Toyota LandCruiser had been “completely smashed in”, with all of the belongings inside thoroughly cleaned out by thieves.
“They obviously had a knife on them… They decided to cut my baby’s car seat,” he had earlier told Yahoo News. “I’m on edge. I’m so alert now.”
Toyota LandCruisers appear to be most favoured among thieves. Source: Getty
Why are Toyota cars being targeted?
LandCruisers are among the most commonly targeted models, according to police.
Others impacted include Corollas, Hiluxes, and RAV4s, along with Holden Commodores and Subaru Imprezas.
Victoria Police say 846 were stolen last year in circumstances suggesting technological theft.
The stolen cars were allegedly packed whole into shipping containers and sent to the United Arab Emirates, where they were allegedly destined for resale.
Vehicles such as LandCruisers and Prados are in strong demand internationally, particularly in the Middle East, where rugged 4WD vehicles are prized for both commercial and recreational use.
In 2024 in Victoria, 241 LandCruisers were stolen, compared with just 89 three years earlier.
Victoria Police said it continues to engage with affected car manufacturers as the issue grows.
The suburbs most impacted by technology-driven car theft in 2025 included Melbourne, Dandenong, Tarneit, Narre Warren, St Albans, Craigieburn, Southbank, Reservoir, Truganina and Epping.
More recently, Berwick, Malvern East, Clayton and Glen Waverley have also emerged as hotspots in early 2026.
Police say they have seized hundreds of key-cloning and reprogramming tools over the past year.
Deputy Commissioner, Regional Operations, Bob Hill, said the scale of the problem was significant.
“Our intelligence estimates as many as 30 cars are being stolen using key cloning technology in Victoria every day,” Hill said.
“Key cloning devices are showing up more and more frequently at search warrants and during intercepts of suspicious vehicles.”
Drivers have been urged to go back to using bump locks amid a spike in car theft in Melbourne. Source: Victoria Police/Getty
What preventative measures can drivers take?
There is no doubt “this methodology is rife”, Hill added.
“The best thing you can do is park your car off the street and install anti-theft devices, such as OBD port locks, to reduce your chances of falling victim.”
Police are encouraging motorists to take preventative steps, including installing on-board diagnostic (OBD) port locks, which stop thieves from plugging in devices used to reprogram vehicle keys.
Insurance Council of Australia CEO Andrew Hall said Victoria now accounts for nearly half of the national cost of stolen cars — and its surge is so large that it cancels out the declines seen in other states.
“More expensive cars are being stolen in Victoria and just not being recovered,” Hall had earlier told Yahoo News Australia.
“So that points to the presence of more systemic organised crime. It must be that there’s been a signal that Victoria’s the state to target, and it is a real worry and probably also suggests that there’s a lot more depth to this.”
In the 12 months to June 2025, the state recorded a 59 per cent jump in claims and a 70 per cent spike in incurred costs, with more than 12,000 claims totalling $223 million.
Drivers have been urged to go back to using bump locks amid a spike in car theft in Melbourne.
Authorities say the locks are inexpensive and can be installed by owners themselves.
Drivers are also advised to park off the street where possible and always lock their vehicles, even when at home.
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