by The Ukrainian used car market has its own ‘dark side’ — theft statistics. Data from the police and insurance companies for 2024 show that criminals have clear priorities. The list of favorites mostly includes Japanese and German models, well-known to our drivers.
The anti-rating was topped by the Toyota Camry (model years 2007–2018). 847 cases of theft were registered in a year. The reasons are obvious: high popularity, available spare parts, and relatively weak security systems in versions before 2018.
In second place is the Lexus RX (model years 2009–2019), which disappeared from parking lots and courtyards 612 times. It is ‘loved’ for its liquidity and ease of resale. The top three leaders were closed by the Toyota RAV4 (model years 2012–2020) with a result of 584 thefts.
Further on the list:
- BMW X5 (2007–2018) — 521 case;
- Mercedes-Benz E-Class (2009–2019) — 498 cases;
- Audi Q7 (2010–2018) — 441 case;
- Toyota Land Cruiser (all generations) — 389 cases;
- BMW 5 Series (2010–2019) — 367 cases;
- Lexus GX (2010–2020) — 334 cases;
- Mercedes-Benz GLE/ML (2011–2019) — 312 cases.
Geography of Thefts
Kyiv and the region became the leader in the number of crimes — over 2.8 thousand cases, or a third of all thefts. Here, the average cost of stolen cars exceeds $28 thousand, which is significantly higher than the average Ukrainian indicator.
In second place is the Odesa region (1234 cases), where ‘premium SUVs’ are often smuggled abroad by sea. The top also included Kharkiv region (987), Lviv region (856), Dnipropetrovsk region (734), and Zaporizhzhia (445).
How Thieves Operate
Modern car thieves have long moved away from the banal prying of doors with a screwdriver. The most commonly used methods are:
- Relays for keyless systems,
- Jammers for blocking alarms,
- OBD hacking and CAN injectors,
- Key fob cloning.
Toyota, Lexus, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz remain the most vulnerable to ‘electronic’ attacks.
When the Risk is Highest
Cars most often disappear in autumn (October–November) and in winter. The peak time is from 23:00 to 05:00, especially from 2 to 4 AM. The most dangerous days are Friday and Saturday, when cars are often left in open parking lots near entertainment venues.
