The National Motor Vehicle Theft Reduction Council has launched three new strategies to deal with the problem of car theft after keys are stolen from inside homes.

The plans involve providing consistent advice to homeowners and motorists; promoting greater take-up of tracking and other technology; and forging partnerships to train and employ offenders, to avoid repeats.

It follows a recent workshop allowing key industry players to develop advice for homeowners and drivers.

Short-term car theft in Australia has fallen 70% since 2001, due mainly to the use of immobilisation devices, the council says.

Cars stolen from houses tend to be newer and of higher value than those taken from the street.

“As the immobilisation rate continues to grow, it is expected that burglary-related theft will become even more prevalent and, if unchecked, will present a threat to the sustainability of the major reductions we have seen in short-term car theft,” the council says.