Looks like the crooks are getting smarter, or they have at least got their hands on more sophisticated tools.
Toyota is taking steps to address what it describes as Australia’s ongoing industry-wide issue of vehicle theft.
This comes as police in Brisbane charged seven men for allegedly stealing 60 Toyota Land Cruisers and Prados worth $9 million that were destined for the United Arab Emirates.
The operation involved a group of foreign nationals who allegedly stole vehicles in Brisbane to ship them overseas.
The syndicate targeted the vehicles between October and December 2025, with 15 stolen vehicles recovered.
Thieves used tools to quickly gain access to the vehicles and in one case a victim reported that her Land Cruiser was stolen in under a minute while she was asleep .
Sounds like the good old 1980s all over again when car theft was ride and car alarm sales skyrocketed.
In a press release this week, Toyota, the leading brand in Australia for 23 consecutive years, revealed “organised criminal groups” in Australia appear to be importing sophisticated and often costly technologies to facilitate theft.
This has resulted in a marked rise in the number of stolen vehicles being reported across the automotive industry.
Working closely with Victoria and Queensland Police, Toyota has identified these devices and implemented security enhancements to counter their effectiveness.
In the latest episode, police seized containers at the Port of Brisbane, which were allegedly used to transport the stolen cars to the United Arab Emirates.
They have recovered 15 of 60 targeted vehicles and have charged seven men — from Brazil, Fiji, Japan, and Afghanistan.
They are charged with more than 380 offences, including 60 counts of vehicle theft for four of the men.
Toyota says it is committed to continuously improving vehicle security and has progressively introduced advanced protective measures across its range.
In 2025, it took further steps to enhance security on several models, including the new Hilux, Land Cruiser 300 and Land Cruiser Prado, providing owners with even greater peace of mind.
In addition, it is developing factory-approved genuine accessories, including an additional immobiliser — to combat the issue.
Further updates will be announced as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, in the event of theft, Toyota is developing a prioritisation system to help ensure affected customers receive replacement vehicles as quickly as possible.
It strongly supports the banning of devices used for criminal activities and the regulation of legitimate devices used by locksmiths, mechanics and other automotive professionals.
Toyota says it remains committed to protecting customers and working with authorities to help reduce vehicle theft across Australia.
Prado
Hilux utility
Land Cruiser 300 Series
