Anti-theft video backfires in crime-ravaged Melbourne: 'Why not just fix the core problem'

Published: 05:00, 14 May 2026 | Updated: 05:05, 14 May 2026 Fed-up Victorians have lashed out at police following the release of a video aimed at teaching people how to prevent their cars from being stolen. The 29-second clip, posted by Victoria Police on Wednesday, features an officer explaining different measures drivers can use to avoid the scenario, including putting their car keys in a signal-blocking pouch or putting a steering lock on the wheel. 'Think your keys are safe inside your house? Think again. Criminals can clone or relay your key signal, even from outside,' the police officer said. 'Small changes make a big difference. Make your car hard to steal.' The officer also recommended putting car keys in a metal tin or drawer, or installing an OBD port lock onto the car. However, the well-intended clip did not land well, with many Victorians saying police and the state government should be working towards solving the state's spiralling crime problem, and not making videos. 'Or… keep these repeat offenders in jail and off the streets. What a shame we live in a country that a video like this needs to be made,' one person commented. Another said: 'It's sad, Melbourne's counter-revolution into a less developed country which needs extra security for valuable belongings.' A person added: 'Or governments could actually fund the police effectively and have judges lock criminals up instead of putting them back on the street.' A Victoria Police officer has given a series of tips to help people prevent their cars being stolen He said people could install a steering lock or put their car keys in a signal-blocking pouch Others also called for car manufacturers to step up and build technology that included theft-prevention methods. 'Car manufacturers must provide some support in this regard, either by figuring out how to mitigate the issues or sponsoring educational content like this via police channels,' a person said. Another added: 'The price we pay for vehicles, they should be already too hard to steal.' However, others couldn't help but comment on the officer's good looks, cheekily asking if he could host an 'in-person presentation' of the anti-theft advice. 'Can you protect the keys inside my house? I would be fine with that,' a person said. Another added: 'Does he do private patrols? Asking for a friend!' The educational video comes weeks after it was revealed criminals using high-tech key cloning devices are now responsible for at least a third of all car thefts in Victoria. Between 30 to 40 per cent of the 33,000 cars stolen across the state between September 2024 to September 2025 were stolen using key cloning devices, an average of 30 stolen cars a day. Police say thieves target specific car models that are easy to access electronically, which often use electronic push-start technology that doesn't need an ignition key to start. Holdens and Toyotas are the most common vehicles stolen, with 1,271 Holden Commodores stolen in 2025, along with 846 Toyota Land Cruisers. More than 670 Toyota Corollas, 592 Toyota Hiluxes and 467 Toyota Rav4's were stolen across Victoria in 2025. Police advise if your car has been stolen, do not confront the thief, report the theft to police and call your insurance company.  The comments below have not been moderated. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.