LandCruiser tops the list of Queensland's most stolen vehicles

For the past three years, the Toyota LandCruiser (utility and wagon combined) has been the most stolen model, according to RACQ.

For 2023, the popular 4WD is followed by Toyota Corolla, Toyota Hilux, Ford Ranger and Mazda 3.

Grazier John Erquiaga is one of 21,565 Queenslanders who's had their vehicle stolen in the past 12 months.

He was asleep early last Monday morning at his Sarina Range home, south of Mackay, when thieves entered his property and drove away with his 1998 LandCruiser ute.

"I just woke up in time to basically see the lights of the vehicle leaving my front gate about 600 metres away," Mr Erquiaga said.

He immediately rang police, who phoned him back 15 minutes later saying they had some suspects and were going to check them.

"Within an hour and a half of the vehicle being stolen, they had located the thief and the vehicle," Mr Erquiaga said.

"He's a well known thief. That's why the police went straight to where my vehicle was because they know who he is."

Mr Erquiaga said the alleged offender stole property from his neighbour last year and upon hearing of his plight, his neighbour travelled to the man's address.

"When my neighbour got there, there were two police basically hiding," he said.

"They told my neighbours to stay out of it.

"More police reinforcements went in there and the thief took off in my car and his mate took off in another car.

"They took off through the cane paddocks and guess what? Police aren't allowed to chase them.

"They went through cane paddocks and gullies and ditches and side roads and got away.

"Police went back there over the next couple of days and I was told his girlfriend smashed the windscreen of one of the police cars as a diversion for him to get away, and he got away again.

"I can understand police not being able to [carry out] high speed highway chases.

"They're damned if they do and damned if they don't, in a way. These crims know all they've got to do is get in the car and drive away with a bit of speed and the police aren't going to chase them."

The theft has impacted the 64-year-old greatly, as he now has to use a tractor and small cattle truck to tend to his 240 cattle.

"It's not like it's a vehicle I use to tow my boat to the creek. It's a farm vehicle which I cart hay with and go fencing with. It's a critical part of my business," he said.

"I paid $31,000 for that vehicle in 1998. Now they're getting up to $140,000 new. I can't afford or justify outlying that sort of money."

Billa Billa and Talwood mixed farmer Dave Beare is one of the lucky ones. His 1999 Toyota LandCruiser ute was stolen last year and was found and returned by police.

The thieves entered his Talwood property in the dark when he wasn't there, found the keys and drove off.

"As I drove in the next morning, I saw things littered around the driveway and I knew what had happened," Mr Beare said.

However, because the keys were hidden in a old fridge, Mr Beare suspected it was someone he knew.

"The policeman just winked at me when I suggested who may have been the thief," he said.

Mr Beare said police located his vehicle after driving by it and detecting that the licence plates attached were off an unregistered vehicle.

"I think there's two sorts of thieves: there's the clever ones and then there's the morons. And mine was thankfully taken by a moron," he said.

"I think they stole it just to go roo shooting or pig chasing."

The farmer now worries Australia may start to resemble other crime riddled countries if something more isn't done.

"It's a scourge. We'll end up like South Africa."

As for why the Toyota LandCruiser is the top target for thieves, an RACQ spokesperson said there was no one reason.

"There's no definitive answer as to why these are the most commonly stolen vehicles. They are some of the top selling vehicles so there is more of them around to steal," they said.

They said previous research from the National Motor Vehicle Theft Reduction Council found the majority of cars were stolen for short term purposes.

"This may include joyriding, as a temporary means of transport, or for use in the commission of another crime - and isn't necessarily linked to the vehicle's value."

Asked if certain models were easier to steal, Toyota Australia simply said owners needed to be aware that thieves targeted older versions of popular models.

"This is primarily due to recent improvements in security technology for new vehicles inclusive of connected capabilities," a spokesperson said.

"We continuously review and update vehicle security features, such as Stolen Vehicle Tracking technology to support our customers in the ongoing reduction of vehicle theft."

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