Heavy vehicle theft increased 26% over the past decade, in a period when the overall number of stolen vehicles fell 44%.

A 76% rise in stolen plant and equipment drove the increase, while truck theft gained 4%, according to National Motor Vehicle Theft Reduction Council figures.

Executive Director Ray Carroll says criminals have targeted off-road heavy vehicles after it became harder to manipulate the car registration system.

“There is an attraction to deal in things such as plant and equipment,” he told insuranceNEWS.com.au. “They can just be on-sold into the second-hand market.”

The council proposes a national plant and equipment register to combat the crime.

Thefts of vehicles weighing more than 3.5 tonnes accounted for 3% of the Australian total last financial year, with an estimated value of nearly $50 million.

“The commercial implications and high value of some of these vehicles means their loss has a significant impact on owners and insurers,” Mr Carroll said.

“There is also a loss of business cost. It affects people’s livelihoods, particularly the small contractors.”

Of the 1931 heavy vehicles taken last year, 59% were heavy trucks, with the remainder plant and equipment such as tractors, excavators, skid-steers, forklifts, mowers and loaders.

Short-term thefts were valued at $27.2 million and profit-motivated thefts at $22.6 million. The heavy vehicle category excludes buses.

Queensland and SA recorded the largest increases in thefts from 2002/03 to last financial year, while there was a reduction in NSW.