Are these the 3 most stolen cars in South Africa?

An auto industry expert says that an updated list of the most stolen vehicles in South Africa would include the VW Polo.

His comment follows an article published by Car Info in September 2015, questioning which cars are the most stolen in the country.

The company concluded that the top most stolen cars in South Africa are:

1. Toyota Hi-ace
2. Nissan 1400
3. Toyota Hilux
4. Toyota Venture
5. Toyota Corolla
6. Toyota Fortuner

The latter article pointed to a spike in the theft of two Toyota models: Hilux and Fortuner, citing Cross Country Insurance Consultants.

Both the SAPS and the country’s insurers are reluctant to provide information on the vehicles that are stolen in South Africa.

Both Toyota cars feature in the top 15 best selling cars list of South Africa, despite their hefty price tags.

BusinessTech recently queried the police, but was told that it does not provide that information. It has also asked two major insurers who both declined to comment.

Read: The worst hijacking spots in South Africa

According to Crime StatsSA, 56,616 vehicles were stolen in South Africa in 2014, taking the total to 810,785 since 2004.

With approximately 11 million cars on South Africa’s roads, Datadot, puts the number of stolen vehicles in the country at an estimated 1.6 million.

An industry source with extensive knowledge of the motor industry said that the top three most stolen cars in South Africa currently were:

• Toyota Hilux
• Toyota Fortuner
• VW Polo

The Hilux was the best selling vehicle in South Africa in 2015, selling just shy of 37,000 units, while the VW Polo Vivo Hatch and VW Polo hatch were third and forth on the list behind the Ford Ranger, with a combined total of more than 47,000 sales.

The Fortuner is also among the more popular cars in South Africa, and is believed to be popular as a feeder for parts for the mini-bus taxi industry.

The Automobile Association (AA) said that the motor vehicle market accounts for the disposal of approximately 50% of stolen and hijacked vehicles.

Other stolen vehicles may be disposed of through exportation to other countries, 30%, and the remaining 20% going to the second-hand parts market.

Older vehicles between seven and 21 years old are at higher risk of theft while vehicles between one and four years are at the highest risk of robbery.

“Mini buses top the ratings for cars that are targeted for theft or robbery, with sedans being the most frequent target for criminals. Entry level and cheaper vehicles were also found to be high risk, as well as vehicles with a high market volume,” the AA has said.

The South African National Taxi Council (Santaco), estimates that there are approximately 250,000 taxis on our roads. And among CarInfo’s list of most stolen vehicles, is the Hiace, a minibus manufactured by Toyota, and widely used by the national taxi industry.