Holden Commodore most stolen car in Victoria as thefts double in year

Car thefts are running at a 20-year high in Victoria and the number one vehicle being nicked by a new generation of hi-tech thieves may surprise you.

The humble Holden Commodore is the number one target of a new wave of Victorian car thieves.

Thefts of Commodores have soared by nearly 95 per cent over the past 12 months with 242 vehicles nicked from Victorian homes in just a 28-day period earlier this year.

That represents a massive three-fold spike from the average of 80 Commodore sedans, utes and station wagons stolen every 28 days over the past five years.

The force also recorded a 76 per cent jump in Toyota thefts, including 45 HiLuxes stolen across a period of just 28 days, which is double the usual rate.

The current level of car theft has not been seen since 2003.

The humble Holden Commodore is the most stolen car in Victoria. Picture: Supplied

One Melbourne mechanic said it was surprising that vehicle crime had continued to boom rather than decline in that period.

“It (stealing cars) used to be more difficult. Now, it’s easier,” he said.

Damien Newton, whose VF Commodore was stolen using the new-age technology hack, said his car keys inside his home were “useless”.

He wondered how many cars stolen across the state were of a manual transmission.

“Anything with the push-start system is a target,” he said.

“They’re doing this in under five minutes. At that point your car keys are useless.”

OBD’s have been found in a succession of police operations in recent months.

On January 10, police converged on a Wantirna factory after reports of trespassers, causing several people to flee and a man to plough through a fence in a stolen Renault.

Two stolen cars, one a VF Commodore, were found in the factory along with OBD reprogrammers, blank key fobs, ice, GHB, cannabis, a handgun and stolen power tools.

Six men and two women were later questioned and the Renault’s alleged driver, a 23-year-old Clayton male, was arrested days later and hit with charges including reckless exposure of a police officer to risk by driving.

2024 Toyota HiLux SR5. Picture: Mark Bean

On the same day, police tracked a Commodore by air at up to 150km/h after a road unit tried to intercept it at Clyde.

Stop sticks were used to puncture the Holden’s tyres and it was abandoned at Frankston, just before the driver was arrested.

Police allege the 34-year-old from Nyora tried to throw an OBD in a bin before being detained.

A man arrested at Wollert in November after an “extended follow” by police was found with an OBD reader and 12 sets of car keys.

A month earlier, a 24-year-old man and a 22-year-old female were arrested in Morwell as part of an investigation into Commodore thefts in Sale and Narre Warren.

A search of the man’s bedroom uncovered an OBD device, along with stolen number plates and cards linked to 14 vehicle crimes.

Gone in five minutes … or less

Electronic gadgets which take over cars’ controls are being used in one in five Victorian vehicle thefts.

Car theft rates are at a 22-year high amid a massive surge in people saying their prized wheels – predominantly models with push-button starting systems – have simply “vanished”.

Many are Holden Commodores which have disappeared as the on-board diagnostic (OBD) units have become increasingly available to criminals.

The method is suspected of being linked to more than 15 vehicle thefts a day.

The devices – which can be bought online – program or mimic a target vehicle’s keys, meaning it is quickly gone once opened.

A thief simply plugs the OBD into a car’s diagnostic port so it overrides the security system and starts the engine.

It can take a crook less than five minutes to bypass a vehicle’s security system and drive off, all while the owners’ keys are still inside the home.

Concerned police are urging motorists to buy affordable, self-installable port locks which block the reprogramming device.

Suburban mechanics have been advertising that service for as little as $100.

Thieves with OBDs are suspected of driving the colossal statewide spike in car theft.

There were 25,773 cars stolen in Victoria in the year to last September, a 6408 increase on the previous 12 months.

Police intelligence indicates the electronic push-start technology of particular vehicles has made them major targets.

The Victoria Police vehicle crime squad has been working with major manufacturers and insurers to find solutions.

Holden Commodores made between 2013 and 2017 are by far the most stolen model stolen using the OBD technology, followed by four Toyotas, the HiLux, Camry, Corolla and RAV4.

Police say the devices are increasingly showing up in raids on criminals not related to vehicle theft.

Detective Inspector Julie MacDonald of the vehicle crime squad said the technique was a major problem.

“Modern day cars are akin to computers on wheels and while this comes with plenty of benefits, it also creates opportunity for offenders,” she said.

“It was considered impossible to steal a car this way as little as two years ago. However, offenders are now using these devices like a modern-day screwdriver to steal cars.”

Inspector Scott Dwyer said the devices were running rampant among crooks.

“On the frontline, it’s become clear these devices are well understood and frequently used by offenders,” he said. “They are showing up more and more at search warrants and offenders are admitting they are using them during arrest interviews.”

Originally published as Holden Commodore most stolen car in Victoria as thefts double in year