THERE has been a significant rise in motor vehicle theft claims from rural and regional Queensland residents according to a report by the Insurance Council of Australia.

The Insurance Council’s analysis found motor theft claims were increasing in some parts of the country with Queensland claims rising by 101 percent.

Rural and regional Queensland accounted for a 62 percent increase in claims.

This year there have been reports of people having cars stolen while parked in the driveway.

Incidents are happening in localities like Rosewood, Marburg and Thagoona.

An increase in CCTV and security has alerted some residents to intruders, they’ve then shared footage of the incident.

Alarmingly, some cars have been stolen after thieves have broken into homes and found car keys.

If car theft attempts are caught on CCTV, the incident should be reported to Policelink online or by calling 131 444.

When police designate an area as a crime hot spot, the reason is mostly down to statistics.

“If something happens and you don’t report it, it doesn’t go onto the database as an incident,” a rural-based police officer said.

“Sometimes people see something that’s not right happen, or they experience a crime they consider ‘not a big deal’ and it’s not reported.

“The problem with that is there’s no bigger picture, all these little incidents can add up.”

He said funding and resource allocation to police districts were based mainly on crime statistics.

Insurance Council Deputy CEO Kylie Macfarlane said motor vehicle theft, while a small part of insurance premiums, was a growing concern.

“The frequency of motor theft and the cost of that theft, as recorded by the insurance industry, should not go unrecognised,” she said.

“This new data analysis shows alarming rates of motor vehicle theft claims in some parts of the country, which will ultimately cost us all.”

Police have urged rural property owners to be vigilant and look out for suspicious vehicles or people in the area.

Also keep an eye on neighbouring properties and report any suspicious activity via Crimestoppers.