Australia’s car crime capital, Victoria, has recorded an 8% decline in thefts in the four months to April 30 following a police and court crackdown on the state’s worst offenders.

National Motor Vehicle Theft Reduction Council Executive Director Ray Carroll says the statistics mark the first positive result for Victoria “in a long time”.

“I think it’s a result of the increased emphasis on car crime by Victoria Police, focusing on recidivist offenders and the courts giving them custodial sentences,” he told insuranceNEWS.com.au.

“As a result of that, many of the worst of the worst are actually locked up at the moment.”

The retail value of the 8% decline is estimated at about $5.8 million.

Meanwhile, Queensland car thefts increased 23% in the four months, with a rise in home invasions to steal car keys. The increase represents a retail value of $7.3 million.

In the past five years Victoria has been the poorest-performing state, with short-term car theft rising 59%, largely due to gangs breaking into homes and stealing keys.

In the same period car theft has declined 29% in NSW, 10% in Queensland and 21% in SA.