Thieves and vandals are “increasingly turning their attention” to Geelong car owners, according to a leading insurer.
The city was Victoria’s worst for stolen-car claims after a 31 per cent increase last year, the RACV said.
The number of claims for vandalism of cars was unchanged but the value of repairs skyrocketed by 124 per cent to more than $200,000, the company’s 2015 figures revealed.
The car-claim figures follow the RACV last week reporting a hike in claims related to Geelong household burglaries that ranked Geelong second worst in the state.
The RACV data also indicated a link between car thefts and burglaries.
“More than 5 per cent of RACV vehicle theft claims last year involved the thief stealing car keys from inside a house before taking the vehicle.
“Don’t leave your car keys in plain view – even inside your own home,” said the RACV’s Mark Geraghty.
“In some instances keys were left in the ignition or elsewhere in a car in a locked garage, which makes it easy for a thief who has broken into the garage.”
