- The brazen heist was allegedly perpetrated by two men and two women.
- One suspect has been charged in connection with the theft.
- Police have so far recovered 21 of the 45 vehicles that were stolen.
A group of thieves made off with AU$2 million (US$1.3 million) worth of shiny, brand-new vehicles from a holding yard in Port Melbourne, Australia, last week, including a haul of 20 FL5 Honda Civic Type Rs.
The thefts happened between 3 pm on October 20 and 6:30 am the following morning. According to Victoria Police, two men and two women forced their way into the property, breaking past security to grab a grand total of 45 unregistered vehicles. They weren’t exactly picky about their loot, going after a range of models and brands in what’s one of the most brazen automotive thefts Melbourne has seen in years.
More: See The 2023 Honda Civic Type R In 264 Photos From Australian Launch
Along with the impressive tally of 20 Civic Type Rs, the thieves also lifted three Skoda Kamiqs, five Skoda Kodiaqs, a VW Golf R, three VW Tiguans, three Skoda Superbs, two Honda ZR-Vs, two GMW Tank 300s, a Honda Accord, two Honda CR-Vs, and a pair of Mercedes-Benz Sprinters. This wasn’t just a quick grab-and-go; it was a full-scale shopping spree with the culprits seemingly taking whatever struck their fancy.
By October 23, authorities had managed to recover 21 of the stolen vehicles, though they’ve been tight-lipped about which specific models were found and which are still out there.
A 32-year-old woman has also been charged for her role in the theft. She’s facing charges of reckless driving, possessing false plates, unlicensed driving, and possessing 1-4 butanediol. She was found after being spotted driving one of the allegedly stolen vehicles on local streets.
It’s reported the thieves gained access to the locked parking lot and then used one of the Sprinters to push concrete barricades out of the way. How they managed to start the cars remains a mystery, as it’s unclear whether they obtained the keys or had some high-tech trick up their sleeves.
The FL5-generation Civic Type R was launched in Australia in late 2022, carrying with it a AU$72,600 (~$47,900) starting price, making it roughly AU$12,000 (~$7,900) more expensive than its predecessor. Despite the high starting price, demand for the car has been strong, so much so that the first 18 months of allocations were quickly sold out.
