Anyone who spotted what looked like a well-known North Queensland MP driving erratically in Mareeba on Monday morning can be assured it was not him at the wheel.
Hill MP Shane Knuth became the latest victim of Queensland's car theft spree in the early hours of Monday morning, when his dark grey 2016 Toyota Landcruiser Prado GXL was stolen from the Atherton Hinterland Motel.
According to a media release from Mr Knuth, a person in a white hoodie was seen on CCTV footage entering Mr Knuth's car at about 2am.
A short time after, the person was seen driving off with the vehicle.
Mr Knuth said the car was parked out the front of his motel room at the back of the premises.
"Police have advised that my vehicle was spotted in Mareeba early this morning driving recklessly," he said. "If anyone spots the vehicle, please report it immediately to Policelink 131 444."
RACQ received 1760 claims for stolen vehicles across the state last financial year, a 10 per cent increase on the previous year.
Chief executive, insurance Trent Sayers said Townsville, Cairns and Brisbane's inner city experienced the highest frequency of stolen vehicles.
"According to insurance claims data, one in three vehicles was stolen between 1am - 4am, and more incidents occurred on the weekend than any other day of the week," he said.
"Queenslanders must keep security in mind when parking their cars, particularly overnight.
"When possible, park your car in a locked garage or gated driveway and lock your car, even when it's in a secure location.
"If a secure location isn't an option, park in a well-lit populated area and remove any valuables from your vehicle to ensure thieves aren't tempted."
According to the data, the Toyota Hilux, Toyota Landcruiser and Toyota Corolla were the most stolen vehicles, with older aged vehicles tending to be the target for thieves.
"Older vehicles tend to be popular with thieves as many aren't fitted with immobilisers and they are also easy to dispose of as parts or re-identify and sell," Mr Sayers said.
"For vehicles with modern security features, accessing the keys is the most common method of theft.
"Drivers are urged to keep their keys in a hidden location within the home, well away from entry points, so that opportunistic thieves cannot easily access them."
Mr Sayers said that while car theft was an extremely stressful ordeal for Queenslanders, there was some important information to keep in mind.
"If you find yourself in the unfortunate situation of having a car stolen, contact your local police immediately to report the theft and then contact your insurer to check your cover and lodge the claim," he said.
"According to our claims data, 65pc of the vehicles reported as stolen were recovered before the member's claim was settled."
Sally Gall
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications. Get in touch at 0427 575 955 if you've got a story idea for me.
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications. Get in touch at 0427 575 955 if you've got a story idea for me.
