Toyota Land Cruiser Is Japan's Most Stolen Car In 2024

JAKARTA According to several surveys, Japan is one of the safest countries in the world, especially if you reflect on the number of criminal cases such as murder and minimal theft.

But, now Japan is facing a unique phenomenon in the criminal world, namely the high rate of car theft. Not a luxury sports car that is the main target, but a Toyota Land Cruiser. The latest data from the Japan General Insurance Association (JGIA) shows that Land Cruisers are the most frequently stolen cars in Japan, and this figure has jumped dramatically in the past year.

Reporting from Carscoops, March 4, Land Cruiser topped the list of the most stolen cars for the fourth time in a row in 2024. However, surprisingly is a significant spike in theft figures. If by 2023, Land Cruiser accounted for 14.7 of every 100 stolen cars, the figure jumped to 27.5 in 2024. That is, more than one in four stolen cars in Japan is the Land Cruiser.

Furthermore, JGIA data shows that Toyota and Lexus models dominate the list of the 10 most stolen cars in Japan. After the Land Cruiser, there are Alphard, Prius, and Lexus LX which are also targeted. Other models such as Lexus RX, Toyota Crown, Hiace, Velfire, Lexus LS, and Toyota Vexy are also on the list, but with much lower theft rates.

The spike in Land Cruiser theft also had an impact on the total number of car thefts in Japan, which increased to 2,499 cases. The average insurance payment rose by about 20 percent to 2,815,000 yen (around Rp. 310 million).

Aichi Prevention is the region with the highest number of car thefts in Japan, accounting for more than a fifth of the total cases. This is certainly not good news for anyone planning to buy a Land Cruiser in the region.

This phenomenon raises questions about the reasons behind Land Cruiser's popularity among thieves. Is it because of its popularity on the black market, or because of its ease of breaking into its security system?