You can steal it in 3 minutes”…! Shocking Reason Why Auto Theft Gangs Target Luxury Cars “Even Tackle Ragged Light Trucks

Thefts of luxury cars have been on the rise in the last year. It may be fresh in your mind that Akemi Darenogare (33) had her newly delivered car stolen last month.

Brand-name luxury cars and practical and popular one-box cars like the Hiace still become popular theft vehicles that are easy targets for vehicle thieves. Recently, the theft of the popular Alphard car has become a problem, as it has been stolen one after another.

In this context, the number of light trucks being stolen is now on the rise.

Luxury and popular cars are in demand, and it is easy to find a business partner. If so, why are light trucks being stolen?　There are three main reasons.

The first reason is that they are by far the easiest to steal.

Today, car keys are often electronic keys, and it is difficult for an amateur to unlock them. When opening electronic keys, hacking must be done using specialized tools such as “CAN invaders.

With light trucks, however, the story is different. Few vehicles are equipped with electronic keys, etc., and most are the old-fashioned cylinder type. Unlocking this type of lock is not difficult for vehicle thieves.

Mr. Ando (a pseudonym, in his late 40s), a former prison inmate who specializes in vehicle theft, says, “From my point of view, it’s not difficult to pick the locks of a light truck.

From my point of view, it takes only 30 seconds to open a lock like the one on a light truck. It’s easy. It takes less than three minutes to unlock the door and start the engine. If you want to steal it, it’s easy.”

To the average person, it is unclear how much effort it takes to open the lock, but to the thieves, it seems that it is easy.

And it is also important to note that light trucks are common in the countryside. Luxury cars are often protected by tight security, even in parking lots, but light trucks are comparatively less likely to be protected by such security.

In the countryside, it is common for vehicles to be left on the side of the road for two or three days without being locked. From the perspective of vehicle thieves, this naturally creates a perfect environment.

The second reason is the increasing demand for light trucks overseas.

Japanese light trucks are gaining popularity in the Asian and U.S. markets due to their high level of practicality.

In the Asian market, the small size of these vehicles is highly valued for its practicality as a hauler that can carry a large amount of cargo, and sales demand is growing. In the U.S. market, the vehicles are highly valued for their fuel efficiency and small turning radius.

The fact that there are many buyers overseas for vehicles that are on the verge of being scrapped in Japan, because they are recognized as still usable as long as they work, may also contribute to the ease with which they are targeted.

The third reason is the ease of disposal after theft.

The small size of light trucks and the small number of parts they contain are also reasons for thieves to take notice of them.

When transporting stolen vehicles overseas, the thieves remove the parts that can be removed from the vehicle. Seats, tires, and other parts are disassembled and reassembled by contractors after arriving overseas.

With a light truck, this process is completed quickly, so there is little need to reassemble the vehicle. Compared to other regular cars, light trucks have smaller bodies, so they take up less space when transported by ship, and can be transported in larger quantities at one time.

Compared to luxury cars, mass-market vehicles such as light trucks tend to have less awareness of theft prevention measures. It is important to let down one’s guard and take all possible measures by using steering wheel locks, pedal locks, etc., in addition to locking and parking position.