Profit-motivated motor vehicle theft in South Australia

Profit-motivated theft is defined as vehicles stolen for conversion to profit as a whole vehicle or as separated parts through various illegal methods. In South Australia (SA) in 2014, there were $4.5 million profit-motivated passenger/light commercial (PLC) vehicle thefts.

Profit-motivated theft is a major focus of the NMVTRC’s national strategy, particularly in respect of theft-for-scrap rackets and the black market trade in separated parts which account for around half of all non-recovered stolen vehicles. Key priorities include:

reducing opportunities for criminal networks to sell stolen parts into legitimate trades and related supply chains; and
developing a clearer intelligence picture of the extent to which exports and backyard activities contribute to stolen not recovered rates.

The NMVTRC encourages people with information about profit-motivated vehicle theft activity to contact Crime Stoppers SA on Wednesday, 15th April 2015 via the hotline 1800 333 000 or by making an online report.

1.1 AUS - Adjusted profit motivated passenger/light commercial vehicle theft summary, 2013 to 2014

1.1
State or Territory	2013		2014		% change	Theft rate per 1,000 registrations
State or Territory	Thefts	% of thefts	Thefts	% of thefts	% change	2013	2014
ACT	116	1.2%	107	1.0%	-7.8%	0.45	0.41
NSW	3,973	39.9%	4,064	38.9%	2.3%	0.85	0.85
NT	66	0.7%	87	0.8%	31.8%	0.50	0.65
QLD	1,733	17.4%	1,771	17.0%	2.2%	0.51	0.51
SA	677	6.8%	633	6.1%	-6.5%	0.55	0.51
TAS	114	1.1%	127	1.2%	11.4%	0.29	0.31
VIC	2,466	24.8%	2,687	25.7%	9.0%	0.59	0.63
WA	814	8.2%	962	9.2%	18.2%	0.43	0.49
AUS	9,959	100.0%	10,438	100.0%	4.8%	0.62	0.63

2.1 SA - Adjusted profit motivated motor vehicle thefts by calendar quarter and body type, 2010-Q3 to 2014-Q4

2.1
Calendar quarter	All motor vehicles	Passenger/light commercial	Motorcycles	Other vehicles
2010-Q3	262	173	81	8
2010-Q4	257	162	83	12
2011-Q1	269	182	71	16
2011-Q2	287	173	99	15
2011-Q3	297	194	89	14
2011-Q4	294	196	89	9
2012-Q1	352	241	92	19
2012-Q2	299	192	93	14
2012-Q3	254	152	82	20
2012-Q4	304	167	125	12
2013-Q1	276	181	75	20
2013-Q2	263	169	82	12
2013-Q3	230	160	62	8
2013-Q4	236	167	61	8
2014-Q1	220	150	64	6
2014-Q2	255	167	72	16
2014-Q3	216	153	55	8
2014-Q4	244	163	77	4

2.1 SA - Adjusted short term motor vehicle thefts by calendar quarter and body type, 2010-Q3 to 2014-Q4

2.1 SA - Adjusted profit motivated motor vehicle thefts by calendar quarter and body type, 2010-Q3 to 2014-Q4

3.1 SA - Profit motivated motor vehicle thefts by body group, 2014 (solid colour) vs 2013 (outline)

2014 (solid colour) vs 2013 (outline)
Body type group	Body type detail	Thefts	% of thefts	Thefts	% of thefts
Passenger/light commercial		653	67.7%	677	67.4%
Motorcycles		278	28.8%	280	27.9%
Other vehicles		34	3.5%	48	4.8%
Passenger/light commercial	Small passenger	100	15.3%	100	14.8%
Passenger/light commercial	Medium passenger	51	7.8%	63	9.3%
Passenger/light commercial	Large passenger	214	32.8%	250	36.9%
Passenger/light commercial	Sports	37	5.7%	35	5.2%
Passenger/light commercial	SUV	50	7.7%	36	5.3%
Passenger/light commercial	People mover	6	0.9%	5	0.7%
Passenger/light commercial	Light commercial utility	90	13.8%	86	12.7%
Passenger/light commercial	Light commercial van	16	2.5%	20	3.0%
Passenger/light commercial	Motor home	1	0.2%	1	0.1%
Passenger/light commercial	Unknown passenger	88	13.5%	81	12.0%
Motorcycles	50 cc or less	39	14.0%	36	12.9%
Motorcycles	51 - 100 cc	8	2.9%	8	2.9%
Motorcycles	101 - 150 cc	30	10.8%	16	5.7%
Motorcycles	151 - 200 cc	6	2.2%	2	0.7%
Motorcycles	201 - 250 cc	38	13.7%	35	12.5%
Motorcycles	251 - 500 cc	32	11.5%	24	8.6%
Motorcycles	501 - 750 cc	25	9.0%	23	8.2%
Motorcycles	751 - 1000 cc	10	3.6%	8	2.9%
Motorcycles	1001 cc or more	5	1.8%	9	3.2%
Motorcycles	Unknown motorcycle	85	30.6%	119	42.5%
Other vehicles	Heavy plant and equipment	21	61.8%	33	68.8%
Other vehicles	Heavy truck	10	29.4%	11	22.9%
Other vehicles	Heavy unknown	0	0.0%	0	0.0%
Other vehicles	Bus	0	0.0%	0	0.0%
Other vehicles	Other	1	2.9%	0	0.0%
Other vehicles	Unknown body type	2	5.9%	4	8.3%

3.2 SA - Profit motivated passenger/light commercial vehicle thefts by year of manufacture, 2014 (solid colour) vs 2013 (outline)

2014 (solid colour) vs 2013 (outline)
Decade of manufacture	Year of manufacture	Thefts	% of thefts	Thefts	% of thefts
<1970		4	0.6%	4	0.6%
<1970	1954	0	0.0%	1	25.0%
<1970	1958	0	0.0%	0	0.0%
<1970	1960	1	25.0%	0	0.0%
<1970	1962	1	25.0%	0	0.0%
<1970	1964	2	50.0%	0	0.0%
<1970	1966	0	0.0%	0	0.0%
<1970	1967	0	0.0%	0	0.0%
<1970	1968	0	0.0%	1	25.0%
<1970	1969	0	0.0%	2	50.0%
1970s		15	2.3%	18	2.7%
1970s	1970	1	6.7%	2	11.1%
1970s	1971	1	6.7%	2	11.1%
1970s	1972	0	0.0%	0	0.0%
1970s	1973	0	0.0%	1	5.6%
1970s	1974	2	13.3%	2	11.1%
1970s	1975	0	0.0%	0	0.0%
1970s	1976	3	20.0%	3	16.7%
1970s	1977	1	6.7%	2	11.1%
1970s	1978	2	13.3%	1	5.6%
1970s	1979	5	33.3%	5	27.8%
1980s		45	6.9%	96	14.2%
1980s	1980	0	0.0%	0	0.0%
1980s	1981	2	4.4%	5	5.2%
1980s	1982	1	2.2%	6	6.2%
1980s	1983	2	4.4%	5	5.2%
1980s	1984	5	11.1%	7	7.3%
1980s	1985	4	8.9%	12	12.5%
1980s	1986	5	11.1%	6	6.2%
1980s	1987	11	24.4%	9	9.4%
1980s	1988	7	15.6%	19	19.8%
1980s	1989	8	17.8%	27	28.1%
1990s		244	37.4%	289	42.7%
1990s	1990	14	5.7%	28	9.7%
1990s	1991	15	6.1%	20	6.9%
1990s	1992	21	8.6%	27	9.3%
1990s	1993	27	11.1%	21	7.3%
1990s	1994	25	10.2%	29	10.0%
1990s	1995	29	11.9%	34	11.8%
1990s	1996	29	11.9%	29	10.0%
1990s	1997	29	11.9%	32	11.1%
1990s	1998	26	10.7%	31	10.7%
1990s	1999	29	11.9%	38	13.1%
2000s		260	39.8%	233	34.4%
2000s	2000	38	14.6%	38	16.3%
2000s	2001	28	10.8%	35	15.0%
2000s	2002	36	13.8%	39	16.7%
2000s	2003	36	13.8%	28	12.0%
2000s	2004	26	10.0%	29	12.4%
2000s	2005	22	8.5%	21	9.0%
2000s	2006	24	9.2%	18	7.7%
2000s	2007	15	5.8%	14	6.0%
2000s	2008	23	8.8%	8	3.4%
2000s	2009	12	4.6%	3	1.3%
2010s		49	7.5%	20	3.0%
2010s	2010	13	26.5%	2	10.0%
2010s	2011	9	18.4%	8	40.0%
2010s	2012	14	28.6%	6	30.0%
2010s	2013	10	20.4%	4	20.0%
2010s	2014	3	6.1%	0	0.0%
Unknown		36	5.5%	17	2.5%
Unknown	0	36	100.0%	17	100.0%

3.3 SA - Top profit motivated passenger/light commercial vehicle theft targets, 2014

Make model series year range	2013	2014
Holden Commodore VT MY97_00	31	24
Holden Commodore VX MY00_02	14	21
Holden Commodore VE MY06_13	4	18
Holden Commodore VY MY02_04	11	14
Ford Falcon BA MY02_05	17	12
Holden Commodore VS MY95_97	23	10
Holden Commodore VZ MY04_06	11	10
Nissan Skyline MY94_98	5	9
Holden Astra TS MY99_05	4	7
Ford Falcon AU MY98_02	12	6
Ford Falcon EF MY94_96	4	6
Ford Falcon Ute BA MY02_05	5	6
Mitsubishi Magna TS MY94_97	7	6
Nissan Pulsar N14 MY91_95	0	6
Toyota Hilux MY05_11	3	6
Holden Commodore VN MY88_91	8	5
Holden Statesman VS MY95_99	4	5
Nissan Navara D40 MY05+	2	5
Nissan Pulsar N15 MY95_00	2	5
Toyota Landcruiser 80 Series MY90_98	3	5

3.4 SA - Profit motivated passenger/light commercial vehicle thefts by immobiliser type, 2014

Immobiliser type	Thefts	% of thefts
Australian Standard	339	51.9%
Non-Australian Standard	48	7.4%
No Immobiliser	266	40.7%

3.5 SA - Profit motivated passenger/light commercial vehicle thefts by Glass's guide value estimate, 2014

Estimated value range	Thefts	% of thefts	Total estimated value	% of total estimated value
> $0 to < $5,000	377	57.7%	$846,553	18.5%
$5,000 to < $10,000	140	21.4%	$956,784	20.9%
$10,000 to < $20,000	82	12.6%	$1,156,536	25.3%
$20,000 to < $30,000	34	5.2%	$827,164	18.1%
$30,000 to < $50,000	16	2.5%	$571,490	12.5%
$50,000+	4	0.6%	$217,582	4.8%
Total	653	100.0%	$4,576,109	100.0%

A further spreadsheet showing thefts by vehicle age group, make/model/series/year range and vehicle value ranges is also available.

4.1 SA - Profit motivated passenger/light commercial vehicle thefts by top Local Government Areas (LGA), 2014 vs 2013

State or Territory	LGA	2013	2014	% change
SA	Playford (City)	100	99	-1.0%
SA	Port Adelaide Enfield (City)	95	83	-12.6%
SA	Salisbury (City)	138	82	-40.6%
SA	Charles Sturt (City)	68	71	4.4%
SA	Onkaparinga (City)	40	56	40.0%
SA	Marion (City)	23	22	-4.3%
SA	Tea Tree Gully (City)	18	22	22.2%
SA	West Torrens (City)	23	19	-17.4%
SA	Adelaide (City)	15	18	20.0%
SA	Holdfast Bay (City)	8	15	87.5%
SA	Gawler (Town)	17	12	-29.4%
SA	Unley (City)	9	11	22.2%
SA	Mallala (District Council)	10	10	0.0%
SA	Mount Gambier (City)	7	9	28.6%
SA	Norwood Payneham St Peters (City)	13	9	-30.8%
SA	Prospect (City)	5	8	60.0%
SA	Light (Regional Council)	2	7	250.0%
SA	Mitcham (City)	10	7	-30.0%
SA	Barossa (District Council)	4	6	50.0%
SA	Burnside (City)	7	6	-14.3%
SA	Mount Barker (District Council)	4	6	50.0%
SA	Alexandrina (District Council)	2	5	150.0%
SA	Campbelltown (City)	3	5	66.7%
SA	Coober Pedy (District Council)	0	5	n.a.
SA	Murray Bridge (Rural City)	7	5	-28.6%
SA	Wattle Range (District Council)	2	5	150.0%
SA	Whyalla (City)	2	5	150.0%
SA	Renmark Paringa (District Council)	1	4	300.0%
SA	Berri and Barmera (District Council)	3	3	0.0%
SA	Ceduna (District Council)	1	3	200.0%
SA	Copper Coast (District Council)	3	3	0.0%
SA	Loxton Waikerie (District Council)	1	3	200.0%
SA	Mid Murray (District Council)	3	3	0.0%
SA	Port Pirie City and Dists (Municipality)	2	3	50.0%
SA	Adelaide Hills (District Council)	3	2	-33.3%
SA	Grant (District Council)	0	2	n.a.
SA	Northern Areas (District Council)	1	2	100.0%
SA	Port Lincoln (City)	1	2	100.0%
SA	Unincorporated SA	3	2	-33.3%
SA	Victor Harbor (City)	3	2	-33.3%
SA	Wakefield (District Council)	3	2	-33.3%
SA	Yorke Peninsula (District Council)	1	2	100.0%
SA	Barunga West (District Council)	0	1	n.a.
SA	Clare and Gilbert Valleys (District Council)	2	1	-50.0%
SA	Karoonda East Murray (District Council)	0	1	n.a.
SA	Orroroo/Carrieton (District Council)	0	1	n.a.
SA	Robe (District Council)	0	1	n.a.
SA	The Coorong (District Council)	2	1	-50.0%
SA	Unknown	0	1	n.a.
SA	Anangu Pitjantjatjara (Aboriginal Council)	0	0	n.a.
SA	Cleve (District Council)	0	0	n.a.
SA	Flinders Ranges (District Council)	0	0	n.a.
SA	Franklin Harbour (District Council)	0	0	n.a.
SA	Goyder (District Council)	2	0	-100.0%
SA	Kangaroo Island (District Council)	0	0	n.a.
SA	Kimba (District Council)	0	0	n.a.
SA	Kingston (District Council)	0	0	n.a.
SA	Lower Eyre Peninsula (District Council)	0	0	n.a.
SA	Mount Remarkable (District Council)	0	0	n.a.
SA	Naracoorte and Lucindale (District Council)	2	0	-100.0%
SA	Port Augusta (City)	3	0	-100.0%
SA	Roxby Downs (Municipality)	0	0	n.a.
SA	Southern Mallee (District Council)	0	0	n.a.
SA	Tatiara (District Council)	0	0	n.a.
SA	Tumby Bay (District Council)	0	0	n.a.
SA	Walkerville (Municipality)	4	0	-100.0%
SA	Wudinna (District Council)	0	0	n.a.
SA	Yankalilla (District Council)	1	0	-100.0%

Map of the theft location of the 653 profit-motivated PLC thefts in SA, 2014

Getting started - Click or tap a theft cluster to zoom in. Zoom with your mouse scroll wheel, or multi-touch zoom on mobile browsers.

Legend: 1 to 9 10 to 49 50 to 149 >= 150 thefts Theft clusters are approximated from the suburb centroid (mid-point).

*Short term thefts are defined as motor vehicles that were stolen and recovered, profit motivated thefts were those stolen and not recovered. Recovery status is as at 31 January 2015.

Some recovery data used in this report has been adjusted for the number of missing vehicles that are expected to be recovered up to a year after the close of the data period. This adjustment has the effect of moving a percentage of vehicles from the profit motivated (not recovered category) to the short term (recovered category).

The National Motor Vehicle Theft Reduction Council (NMVTRC) acknowledges all police services, registration authorities, participating insurers, the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries, Glass's Information Services and Insurance Australia Group for the supply of the data on which this report is compiled. Theft incident data may be subject to later revision by the data providers. This work is copyright. Material may be reproduced for personal, non-commercial use or for use within your organisation with attribution to the NMVTRC. © 2020 NMVTRC. All rights reserved

Theft facts

Profit-motivated motor vehicle theft in South Australia

Map of the theft location of the 653 profit-motivated PLC thefts in SA, 2014