Despite previous warnings, Victoria Police has released new data showing thefts of Toyota LandCruisers surged by a whopping 258 per cent year-on-year, from 241 in 2024 to a staggering 863 in 2025 – all due to a car key cloning device that’s somehow legal in Australia.
On a broader scale, authorities estimate that more than 10,000 vehicles are stolen each year using the technology, which allows thieves to bypass a vehicle's security system without alerting owners.
According to Victoria Police, officers seized 800 cloning devices from “prolific car thieves” in the state, with authorities claiming the technology is likely responsible “for well over a quarter” of car thefts in the state.
In a nutshell, crooks target popular cars – such as the Toyota LandCruiser, HiLux and RAV4, as well as the Holden Commodore and Subaru Impreza – that feature push-start engine buttons, which thieves can easily bypass.
As reported by Drive in February 2025, car thieves are using the vehicle's onboard diagnostic (OBD) port to reprogram new keys without setting off any alarms.
Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner of Regional Operations, Bob Hill, said this key cloning device is a key contributor to the state’s car theft problem.
“Our intelligence estimates as many as 30 cars are being stolen using key cloning technology in Victoria every day,” Deputy Commissioner Hill said in a media statement.
“Key cloning devices are showing up more and more frequently at search warrants and during intercepts of suspicious vehicles. There is no doubt this methodology is rife in the criminal world,” he added.
A Victoria Police spokesperson told Drive in October 2025 that these tools have fallen into the hands of child offenders, leading to a rise in stolen-car collisions in the state.
"[Police] Intelligence shows child and youth offenders are also using these devices with increased frequency, which has coincided with a sharp increase in the number of crashes involving stolen cars," they said.
Despite warnings from police, key cloning devices are still technically allowed to be bought by most members of the public, but why?
In a March 2025 report by Drive, government agencies are aware that these devices exist, though current regulators can only penalise suppliers who violate compliance and enforcement rules – not perpetrators who use them to facilitate car thefts.
A spokesperson for the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) – the peak government enforcement body for radio and telecommunications devices – said it's aware of the issue, but it does not have the power to implement law changes.
"The ACMA is aware of media reports that devices with legitimate radio communications applications are being misused by car thieves," an ACMA spokesperson told Drive.
"Changes to legislation are a matter for governments. The ACMA is open to engaging with relevant authorities should they form the view that any aspect of the ACMA's regulatory functions may be relevant to their responses to the matter."
Asked whether Victorian authorities have reached out to the government body regarding key cloning devices used by offenders, an ACMA spokesperson said the agency has not had any discussions.
"The ACMA has not received advice from Victorian authorities regarding the types of devices that may be involved in these matters and has not had engagement with Victorian authorities on these issues to date."
Drive has reached out to ACMA for comment and will update the story with its response.
Ethan Cardinal graduated with a Journalism degree in 2020 from La Trobe University and has been working in the fashion industry as a freelance writer prior to joining Drive in 2023. Ethan greatly enjoys investigating and reporting on the cross sections between automotive, lifestyle and culture. Ethan relishes the opportunity to explore how deep cars are intertwined within different industries and how they could affect both casual readers and car enthusiasts.
