The number of vehicles stolen in 2004 dropped by about 10% – or 10,000 fewer than in 2003 – but some cars are still proving more attractive to thieves, according to the National Motor Vehicle Theft Reduction Council (NMVRTC).

Nearly 85,300 vehicles were stolen during the year, which equates to about one theft for every 167 registered vehicles on Australian roads.

But thieves are becoming more predictable in the vehicles they choose to steal. Last year one in five vehicles stolen were Holden Commodores. “Whether it was an older VN stolen for joyriding or a later model VX stolen for profit, Commodore remains the top choice of vehicle thieves with more than 16,000 stolen in the year,” the NMVTRC said in its Theft Watch newsletter. 

While car theft dropped in all states and territories, the ACT and WA recorded the highest decreases, with a 38% and 22% drop respectively.

“The substantial reduction in theft over the last four years has clearly been related to opportunistic or short-term offending rather than professional or organised theft for profit.”