The number of utility vehicles stolen annually increased by 39% to almost 8000 over the decade to last year, with profit-motivated thefts up 53%, the National Motor Vehicle Theft Reduction Council says.

Registrations of light commercial utes increased by 52% over the same period.

The council’s monthly newsletter also notes thieves are stealing fewer light vans, with a 55% drop in the past decade to about 1000 last year, despite registrations increasing by 5%.

Utes and light vans are now equally popular targets, with 2.7 thefts for every 1000 registrations. Ute thefts will likely overtake vans within a year or two, the council says.

The total value of stolen utes and vans was $113 million last year.

Utes worth about $24.6 million and vans worth about $24 million have not been recovered.