International Toyota theft syndicate busted

An international car theft syndicate targeting Toyota LandCruisers, RAV4s and Prados has been busted in Brisbane and a group of foreign nationals charged with more than 300 offences. Some 60 vehicles were stolen from the Brisbane area between October 20 and December 1, many of which are thought to have been shipped to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and sold.

Stolen quietly and efficiently – by drilling into the side of the vehicles, accessing the wiring and programming in a new key – at all hours of the day, the vehicles were loaded into containers in Brisbane and even Melbourne, hidden behind “a facade of disassembled vehicle parts” and shipped to the UAE.

According to Queensland Police, 15 of the most recently stolen vehicles were recovered before they could leave the country, however the other 45 are missing in action.

“This was an extremely complex operation with a disciplined international syndicate allegedly targeting vehicles for personal gain,” Major and Organised Crime Squad Brisbane detective acting inspector Russell Joyce said.

Car thefts around the country have been on the rise for years now, with the LandCruiser being of particular interest to amateur and professional thieves alike, so much so it was the most commonly stolen vehicle in Queensland in 2024.

“The Queensland Police Service is sending a strong message that offences of this nature will not be tolerated, and police will be relentless in their pursuit of any alleged offender,” Joyce said.

The sting was a multi-department and agency operation involving the Major and Organised Crime Squad, Brisbane criminal investigation branches, the Brisbane Public Safety Response Team, Brisbane Dog Squad, POLAIR, Brisbane Intel, Australian Federal Police, Australian Border Force and the Victorian Police Vehicle Crime Squad, with the investigation still ongoing.

Toyota Australia has been working with the ensemble along the way and previously announced a series of security updates for the LandCruiser 300 Series, Prado 250 Series and new-generation HiLux at a factory level.

Today Toyota Australia announced the development of security-focused genuine accessories, such as an additional immobiliser, that can be retrofitted to existing vehicles.

In the age of extended lead times for popular models, the brand is working on a new prioritisation system that’ll bump car theft victims up the wait list “to help ensure” they “receive replacement vehicles as quickly as possible” – via the relevant and appropriate insurance channels.

Related: Your questions answered: Is my Toyota LandCruiser a target for thieves?

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