One Gisborne fan of the Toyota Corolla is not letting its status as one of the most stolen vehicles in Gisborne influence their preferences, even after two thefts.
New insurance claims data from IAG’s insurance brands’ motor claims this week revealed the Toyota Corolla was the most stolen make and model of vehicle in Gisborne, while the Toyota Aqua topped the national list.
Okitū resident Grace Taumaunu has been the victim of two Toyota Corolla thefts - her own one 10 years ago in Auckland and her parents’ car while she had it in Okitū in August last year.
“I got home, went upstairs, heard a car start and looked out the window and my Corolla was driving off,” Taumaunu said of the Auckland incident.
“I called the police, [who] ended up chasing it all the way to South Auckland.”
She moved to Gisborne eight years ago, while her parents moved in near her last year.
Her mother dropped Taumaunu off at the hospital last August and left her their Corolla to get home.
Taumaunu had parked it on the grass verge outside her house for them to pick up in the morning.
“We park cars on that grass verge quite a lot. I came out in the morning, rang Mum and said: ‘You picked up the car early.’ She said: ‘I haven’t been yet’, so I went out another three times to double check if it was there and it wasn’t there.
“There was no broken glass or anything. I started thinking that I hadn’t driven it home because there was just no sign of it. They ended up finding it out at Whatatutu I think, three days later, but it was destroyed.”
The car was completely written off, she said.
“My family are a Toyota Corolla family. We all learnt to drive in that car. It is very old. My dad looked after it for years and years and years so it is a bit of a loss to the family.”
Taumaunu was aware the model was a popular target for thefts, but that did not influence her car-purchasing decisions.
“I think my parents are changing cars, but that is because they have moved to Gisborne and need a different type of car now, but I think Dad will always be a Toyota Corolla man.”
Behind Corollas at 12 claims over 2024, the next most stolen vehicle in Gisborne according to the AMI data was the Toyota Aqua with 11 claims, followed by the Toyota Vitz (7), Mazda Demio (6) and the Ford Courier (4).
Compared with 2023 when it placed second, the Nissan Tiida completely dropped out of the top five most stolen AMI-insured cars in Gisborne.
Gisborne resident Samantha Tuhura last year told the Gisborne Herald her brother’s Tiida was stolen during a spate of vehicle thefts in October.
Tuhura told the Gisborne Herald that as of January she had not heard whether the culprit or culprits had been located.
AMI Insurance reported almost 12,000 vehicle theft claims throughout 2024, including claims relating to attempted vehicle theft.
Last year, the Toyota Aqua made up 8% of all stolen vehicle claims, followed by the Toyota Corolla (6%) and the Nissan Tiida (5%).
Auckland, Canterbury, Waikato, Wellington, and the Bay of Plenty were the regions with the most vehicle thefts.
AMI executive general manager claims Wayne Tippet said stolen vehicle claims had started to decrease for the first time in four years. Stolen vehicle claims related to ram raids were down by 50% compared to 2023.
“This might suggest that, among unprecedented vehicle theft rates, New Zealanders have put security measures and practices in place and are being more mindful about where they park their cars.”
AMI also noted that despite its popularity among car thieves, 2024 saw a record number of insurance policies for the Toyota Aqua.
AMI tips for vehicle security
- Where possible, park down a driveway or inside a garage.
- If there isn’t any off-street parking available, try to park your car in a well-lit area.
- If possible, park your vehicle facing uphill or facing your house.
- Consider using anti-theft protection measures, such as a car alarm system, immobiliser, fuel cut-out switch, steering wheel lock, handbrake lock, or car tracking system.
- Some good cost-effective GPS tags can be placed inside vehicles and are very helpful in assisting the police in tracking the vehicle.
- Don’t get out of your car and leave the engine running or keys in it.
- Always lock your car doors when driving your car and consider keeping the windows up, especially in low-speed areas.
- Make sure you always lock your car, especially whenever your car is parked and unattended.
- Don’t leave valuables on display.
- Avoid leaving windows or the sunroof open when you’re not in the car.
