Holden Commodore The Most Stolen Car In SA: RAA

The Holden Commodore is by far the darling of South Australian car thieves, with stats published by the Royal Automobile Association of South Australia putting seven Commodore models on the state's top ten most-stolen list for 2013.

In top spot is the VT Commodore, followed by the slightly older VS and the Hyundai Excel X3. 

Fourth and fifth place go to the VX and VY Commodore respectively, while the VR sits in sixth.

That other home-grown hero, the Ford Falcon also features in the list, with the BA and AU tying for seventh place and the EF Falcon tying for tenth with the WH Holden Statesman and VZ Commodore. 

The only other import in the top ten besides the Excel is the Toyota Hilux, in ninth place.

According to the RAA, the popularity of the Commodore and Falcon on its most-stolen list can at least be partially explained by the sheer number of them still on Australian roads - as well as thieves' familiarity with those particular models.

“Thieves usually target a certain type of car because they’re trained in breaking into them, and unfortunately these cars have been the most popular with thieves," said RAA spokesman Mark Borlace.

“They’re also targeted for a reason, whether they can sell the car’s parts illegally or use the vehicle for a short period of time.”

However owners of Falcons, Commodores, Excels and Hiluxes can reduce the likelihood of theft by excercising common sense and adopting safer practices when parking their cars.

“You can reduce the risk of your car being stolen by parking in safe, secure spaces where possible and never leaving any doors unlocked or windows slightly down," Borlace said.

“If you’ve got a garage that’s filled with storage, it might be a good idea to clean it out so you can store it in there instead.

"A common thing that also entices thieves is the sight of possessions such as a phone or wallet left in a car, so even if you’re only leaving your car for a short amount of time – take any valuable possessions with you.”

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