TOYOTA’s Hilux has been reported as the most stolen four-wheeler last year with 370 units.
According to New Straits Times, the Vehicle Theft and Accident Reduction Council (VTAREC) coordinator Mas Tina Abdul Hamid said the statistics mentioned were based on the insurance companies’ reports.
Following the Hilux, Proton Wira and Toyota Fortuner were named as the second and third most stolen four-wheelers, with 142 units and 123 units, respectively.
The list was followed by Proton Iswara (92), which was tied with the Proton Saga (92), Perodua Kancil (89), Ford Ranger (79), which was tied with the Perodua Myvi (79), Perodua Bezza (61), and the Honda Civic (58).
Since the older models of Proton and Perodua were targeted for car theft, Mas Tina believes that they are most likely to be dismantled and used as spare parts to be resold within the country.
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Meanwhile, the other branded vehicles on the list were likely smuggled to foreign countries, she said.
Apart from four-wheelers, motorcycles were also added to the list.
Last year, the top 10 most stolen motorcycles were the Yamaha 135LC (528), Yamaha Y15ZR (327), Honda Wave (194), Yamaha 125 (109), Honda C100 (105), Yamaha Lagenda (72), Yamaha Ego (59), Honda EX5 (54), Modenas Kriss (48), and Honda RS150R (16).
However, she said the vehicle theft incidents in the country have been reduced by 10 per cent with 3,925 cases reported in 2024 compared with 4,370 in 2023.
Mas Tina said the criminals’ modus operandi have changed, and many of them now hack the key fob, which is a tiny, portable remote control device that runs a remote keyless entry system.
Without a physical key, thieves can use this keyless technology to unlock the vehicle, turn on the engine, and drive away.
Mas Tina suggested that drivers use conventional safety precautions like a steering lock and store their keys in a Faraday pouch, which blocks radio frequencies.
She also advised motorcyclists to use chains to secure their bikes from being stolen.
