Toyota Australia has provided an update on its actions to combat a recent spate of thefts LandCruiser 300, LandCruiser Prado And HiLux Models with “additional immobilizer” from the middle of the year.
In conversation with Daily SparkzJohn Pappas, vice president of sales and marketing at Toyota Australia, said that while the Japanese brand is actively working to protect customers and their vehicles from theft, it is also asking lawmakers and law enforcement for more support.
“We said that over time we have added protection measures across our range and then we have further improved the safety measures on the LandCruiser (300), the HiLux and the (LandCruiser) Prado and we will be adding an additional immobilizer in the middle of this year.” said Mr. Pappas.
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“The thefts are not just a Toyota problem, it is a broader industry-wide problem that affects OEMs, the government, industry associations and the police – it is an entire ecosystem of everyone involved,” Mr. Pappas continued.
“We are also seeking the government’s support in fundamentally legitimizing these devices for car professionals like locksmiths and the like and really banning them for sophisticated syndicates.”
“And (we’re) really trying to increase the inspection of the containers that come through the ports and the level of surveillance that goes on with those, so this is kind of the cutting edge of theft.”
The additional immobilizer is the Japanese brand’s latest move to combat a sharp rise in vehicle thefts, after the steering wheel lock was added to the genuine Toyota spare parts catalog for the LandCruiser 300 series, tested by Daily Sparkz alongside aftermarket alternatives.
Police are investigating links between a series of car thefts in Victoria and Queensland involving the LandCruiser 300 Series, LandCruiser Prado, HiLux and, to a lesser extent, the best-selling RAV4 SUV.
Queensland Police Service officers arrested seven suspected thieves in December 2025 who are accused of being part of a crime syndicate that orchestrated the theft of vehicles which were in turn loaded into shipping containers for overseas trade.
More than 380 charges have been filed against the defendants, who are accused of stealing more than 60 Toyotas – with an estimated value of more than $8 million – over a period of just under six weeks.
Authorities claimed the vehicles were stolen via their CAN bus port, which allowed the thieves to take control of the vehicle’s functions, including disabling Toyota’s vehicle tracking.
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