The number of vehicles stolen this year will likely exceed 60,000 for the first time since the Global Financial Crisis more than a decade ago, the National Motor Vehicle Theft Reduction Council says.

While the vehicle crime rate fell in April and May because of the lockdown measures, current data suggest the ongoing economic slump has led to an increase in thefts in every jurisdiction except the NT.

“There is a clear, established correlation between the performance of the economy and crime generally,” the council says in its latest Theft Watch update. “With the ongoing disruption of the pandemic, it is almost certain the current uplift in vehicle crime will extend well into 2021 at a minimum.

“This will include ‘true’ vehicle theft and instances of insurance fraud disguised as theft and/or staged collisions.”

Overall vehicle theft increased 11% to 60,165 in the year to March from a year earlier, including 47,801 passenger and light commercial vehicles and 9938 motorcycles.

SA had the highest increase of 23.9%, followed by Queensland on 21%. In Victoria, the theft rate rose 13.4%, Tasmania 13.2%, the ACT 6.4%, WA 3.6% and NSW 1.7%. The NT was the only jurisdiction to register a drop (14.1%).

The council says in a separate report that stolen vehicles are taking longer to recover, indicating thieves may be using them to commit other crimes.

In 2009/10, about 76% of stolen vehicles were recovered within seven days but the rate declined to 68% last financial year.