New CarSafe crime stats show six cars stolen on Gold Coast every day

Data has revealed that six cars are being stolen on the Gold Coast each day, with two suburbs especially hard hit. 

SIX cars are being stolen on the Gold Coast each day — most of them from homes.

Data from national vehicle theft watchdog CarSafe shows 2189 vehicles were nabbed in the year to September 2020.

Despite COVID lockdowns and restrictions, the figure is up 163, or 8 per cent, on the same time last year.

Thieves were most active in the first three months of the year, swiping 686 vehicles. Four hundred and forty were stolen in the July-September quarter.

Tourism and business hot spots Surfers Paradise (174 vehicles stolen) and Southport (166) were the hardest hit.

Dozens of Gold Coast cars are being stolen every month.

Incidents of brazen robberies for just a few minutes of joy-riding have resulted in multiple crashes across the city, but for the victims the loss of a family vehicle has a long-term impact.

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Targets this year included Channel Nine weatherman Luke Bradnam who watched as his car was driven away during a live cross in November; Gold Coast lawyer Jeffery Horsey found the remains of his Mustang just hours after it was reported missing; and young Ormeau family Daniel and Lucy Hyett had their family car and work ute stolen in mid-November. Both vehicles were involved in a police pursuit and a fuel run-off.

A Broadbeach Waters family lost their Mitsubishi Outlander when thieves took the keys from inside their home.

The car was in a crash 28 days later. It had an extra 11,000km on the clock and a parking fine. A cardboard, hand-drawn number plate was attached to the car.

Ricardo Scandolara has taken up extra shifts as a removalist in order to help the family get back on their feet.

“We were moving at the time, so the car was filled with everything – we were left with nothing,” his partner Keine Santos said.

“They found the car, it had crashed at traffic lights, but the thieves are still free committing other crimes.”

Keine Santos and her partner Ricardo Scandolara had all of their worldy possessions stolen. Picture Glenn Hampson

“We are left empty-handed. I had no insurance and now I have had to pay $7000 to fix the damage on the car and the whole ordeal took months.

“How can they be on our roads for that long?

“My seven-year-old son could make a better number plate, but that wasn’t enough to alert anyone. Did they drive to Sydney and back? Why isn’t council sharing details of parking tickets with police?

“I don’t have any hope of justice any more.”

An 18-year-old Southport man has been charged with burglary, unlawful use of a motor vehicle and receiving tainted property.

He was due to appear in Southport Magistrates Court on October 19 but failed to appear. Bail was forfeited and an arrest warrant issued.