Figures from the South Australian Police (SAPOL) show more vehicles were broken into than stolen in South Australia last year. Up 13% from 2018, there were 11,163 vehicle break-ins compared to 4189 vehicle thefts.

May proved to be the busiest month for thefts, with large spikes seen for the offences of stealing valuables from vehicles (1100 offences) and vehicle thefts (386 offences).

In response to the rise in vehicle-related thefts overall, RAA has encouraged motorists to take precautions to avoid becoming victims.

RAA Senior Manager of Safety and Infrastructure, Charles Mountain, says the data proves criminals are caring less about cars and more about what’s inside.

“Valuables like cash, wallets and even mobile phones left in cars are more attractive to thieves, especially when they’re on display and easily seen through the window,” Mr Mountain says.

RAA urges motorists to remove valuables, including house keys and important documents which may reveal where they live, entirely from their vehicles rather than keeping them stashed out of view.

“That includes getting rid of items from the boot. Not many people realise this is usually one of the easiest areas of a vehicle to break into,” says Mr Mountain.

Parking your vehicle in secure and well-lit areas at night are other ways to deter opportunistic car thieves.

So, where exactly are thieves breaking into vehicles? Here are SA’s 10 most targeted metro and regional areas in 2019.

Top 10 metro locations for auto-theft offences

Top 10 regional locations for auto-theft offences