8 April 2025 · Australian News · Uncategorized
Somewhere in suburban Victoria, another person walks outside to find an empty driveway. There’s no shattered glass. No signs of forced entry. Just the eerie silence of absence. Their car is gone, not hijacked or broken into the old-fashioned way, but silently and efficiently stolen.
This scene is becoming increasingly familiar. In 2024, nearly 29,000 vehicles were stolen across Victoria. That is the highest figure recorded in more than 20 years, and it represents a 41 percent spike from the year before. According to Victoria Police, the rise is not just due to bored teenagers or opportunistic break-ins. What we are seeing is a wave of high-tech crime, driven by affordable tools that are readily available and completely unregulated.
At the centre of the problem is a small electronic device, originally designed for mechanics and locksmiths. This tool connects to a car’s on-board diagnostic (OBD) port and can reprogram a vehicle to accept a new key within seconds. Once inside the car, a thief plugs it in and within moments the car is theirs. No alarms are triggered and no one nearby would hear a thing.
Victoria Police estimate that up to one in five stolen vehicles are being taken this way. What is truly astonishing is that these tools are completely legal to purchase online. They are widely available through e-commerce platforms and can be bought without any proof of trade credentials. You do not need to be a locksmith or mechanic. You just need an internet connection and the intent.
This problem is not unique to Victoria. In Queensland, the total value of car theft claims surged by over 200 percent between 2015 and 2024. Nationally, insurance claims for stolen vehicles have almost doubled over the past decade. Although the Holden Commodore is the most frequently stolen vehicle, thieves are increasingly targeting other makes and models, especially keyless vehicles from Toyota and Subaru.
What is deeply concerning is the lack of regulation around these devices. There are currently no national rules governing their sale, and no restrictions on who can own them. The Australian Communications and Media Authority has said it is aware of anecdotal reports but has yet to receive a formal complaint about a device being used for illegal key copying. That response feels woefully disconnected from the scale of the problem.
At the same time, car owners are being asked to shoulder the burden of protecting their vehicles. Police are advising the public to lock their cars, keep their keys out of sight, and invest in aftermarket anti-theft devices such as steering wheel locks, GPS trackers, or engine immobilisers. In some cases, people are even returning to older methods like physical wheel clamps.
Among the recommended measures is seeking advice from a qualified automotive locksmith. Professionals in this field can help owners better secure their car’s ignition system and prevent unauthorised access through the OBD port. Although these solutions are often effective, they also come at a cost. Devices like the IGLA engine immobiliser system can cost over a thousand dollars to install. That expense is out of reach for many households.
This raises a bigger issue. Car theft is not just a policing or technology problem. It is also an equity issue. People who live in apartments, lack secure off-street parking, or cannot afford high-end security upgrades are often the ones being targeted. When a car is stolen, the impact goes far beyond the vehicle itself. Victims lose access to work, education, and care responsibilities. For many, the financial and emotional cost is devastating.
Despite these clear risks, car manufacturers and government bodies have been slow to respond. While some automakers have acknowledged the misuse of locksmith tools, few have taken concrete steps to improve built-in vehicle security. There is no requirement for vehicles to alert owners during an OBD access attempt, and no mandated encryption standard for keyless entry systems.
This is a failure of foresight. We now have vehicles that operate like computers on wheels, yet we are treating their security vulnerabilities as if they were still mechanical problems. That disconnect is exactly what thieves are exploiting.
There are solutions. Australia can introduce licensing requirements for the sale of key-programming tools. Carmakers can introduce software updates to detect tampering and trigger alarms. Governments can subsidise protective gear for high-risk households, much like we have done for other safety programs. All of these are realistic and necessary steps. What is missing is urgency.
Until regulators and manufacturers act, drivers will continue to bear the cost. Insurance premiums will keep climbing. Cars will keep disappearing in the night. And the tools that make it all possible will remain on sale to anyone who wants them.
The technology has evolved. The laws must too.