The ongoing joke online is that owning a manual car is the best theft deterrent, and a recent event has proved that right.
Posted to the Burwood Police Area Command Facebook page, a 17-year-old would-be car thief was caught in the act of stealing a Toyota Yaris purely because she could not drive a manual.
“On Sunday, 2 November 2025, officers were informed that a resident had left their red Toyota Yaris idling when a group of young people entered the vehicle. The car was driven a short distance before stalling, as it was a manual, and was abandoned on Ramsay Street, Haberfield. The vehicle then rolled backwards into a curb and crashed into a parked car," a post on the Facebook page stated.
“The group fled on foot, and emergency services were notified. Officers from Burwood Police Area Command attended the scene and commenced inquiries.
“Following extensive investigations, officers from Burwood Proactive Crime Team attended an address in Moorebank, where a 17-year-old girl was arrested and taken to Burwood Police Station. She was charged with: Take & drive conveyance w/o consent of owner - T2.
“The girl was granted conditional bail to appear before Campbelltown Children's Court on Friday, 30 January.”
The comments section is littered with many cheering about the modern theft deterrent, a car having a wiggle stick and three pedals.
“A manual transmission seems to be the best anti-theft device,” said one user.
“Imagine being the local street tough and can't drive a manual,” joked another.
All jokes aside, manual drivers have become increasingly rarer in Australia as the old gearbox made up just 3.5 per cent of sales in 2023, and fewer than 80 models are being offered with the option in Australia.
While there are plenty of options to manually disable your car as protection from thieves, like power isolation switches, OBD2 lock boxes and steering locks, it might be that the easiest way to protect yourself is to buy a car with a manual gearbox.
Zane Dobie comes from a background of motorcycle journalism, working for notable titles such as Australian Motorcycle News Magazine, Just Bikes and BikeReview. Despite his fresh age, Zane brings a lifetime of racing and hands-on experience. His passion now resides on four wheels as an avid car collector, restorer, drift car pilot and weekend go-kart racer.
