Most drivers put plenty of thought into where they're going and very little into where they leave the car once they get there.
Usually the decision comes down to convenience. Is there a spot close to the entrance? Is parking free? Can I avoid walking three blocks?
But where a vehicle is parked can also affect its exposure to theft, damage and break-ins, particularly when it's going to be left there for several hours or overnight.
Key Takeaways
- The Australian Bureau of Statistics recorded 66,625 motor vehicle theft victims in 2025, up 1,022 on 2024 and the highest count since 2008.
- Victoria Police starts its prevention advice with the bay, not the hardware: off the street first, a locked garage or driveway next, a well-lit street last.
- Where a vehicle sits for ten hours matters more than where it sits for ten minutes, which is why overnight and long-stay parking deserve the extra thought.
- A tracker does not stop a theft. It shortens the gap between a vehicle moving and somebody knowing about it.
Not All Parking Spots Carry the Same Risk
Two parking spaces on the same street can be very different from a security point of view.
Lighting, pedestrian traffic, nearby businesses, security cameras and how visible the vehicle is from surrounding properties all make a difference.
An isolated spot might be convenient, but it can also give someone more time around a vehicle without being noticed. The same applies to quiet sections of large car parks, particularly outside normal business hours.
This doesn't mean a busy car park guarantees security. It simply adds another consideration when choosing where to leave a vehicle.
The national numbers say the choice is worth making. The Australian Bureau of Statistics recorded 66,625 motor vehicle theft victims in 2025, the highest figure since 2008 and still well short of the 139,895 recorded at the 2001 peak.
Victoria Police arrives at the same place from the other direction. Its advice opens with the parking decision rather than the hardware: park off the street, a locked garage first and a driveway second, a sensor light and CCTV on the driveway, and a well-lit street only when there is no off-street option. Our guide to the hidden risks of street parking in Australian cities covers that at kerb level.
For businesses, the issue can be more significant because work vehicles are often parked in unfamiliar locations throughout the day.
Work Vehicles Don't Always End Up Where You Expect
A plumber, electrician or delivery driver might start the morning at the depot, visit several jobs and finish somewhere completely different.
That makes parking security harder to manage than it is for a private vehicle that spends most nights in the same driveway or garage.
Tools and equipment can also make commercial vehicles attractive targets.
Businesses using GPS tracking can see where vehicles have actually been parked rather than relying solely on schedules or job records. Depending on the system, geofences and movement alerts can also provide notifications when a vehicle leaves a nominated area.
That doesn't prevent a theft by itself, but it can reduce the amount of time between unexpected vehicle movement and somebody becoming aware of it.
Two rows of kerbside bays on the same block and the same sign. From the footpath they look identical. Photo: Pexels / Михаил КраморOvernight Parking Deserves More Attention
Where a vehicle spends ten minutes is different from where it spends ten hours.
If a work vehicle is taken home by an employee, for example, the business may have little control over where it is parked overnight. It could be behind a locked gate, in a driveway or on the street.
The same issue applies to travellers leaving a vehicle at an airport, station or long-term parking facility.
When a vehicle will be unattended for an extended period, simple choices become more important. A well-lit location with regular activity and surveillance is generally preferable to an isolated corner simply because it's closer or cheaper.
Drivers should also avoid leaving bags, tools or electronics visible inside the vehicle. Even when an item isn't particularly valuable, someone looking through the window doesn't necessarily know that.
The same police advice sheet is specific about what should not stay in the car overnight. Take the GPS unit and the dash cam with you and wipe the suction mark off the window, because the mark advertises what used to be there. Leave no documents, house keys or garage remotes inside, and close every window including the sunroof.
GPS Tracking Is Useful After the Vehicle Is Parked
GPS tracking is often associated with watching vehicles move, but what happens while a vehicle is stationary can be just as important.
Many tracking systems can create a virtual boundary, commonly known as a geofence, around a location. If the vehicle leaves that area, an alert can be generated.
For a business, that might be a depot, employee's home, worksite or customer location.
Some hardwired trackers can also detect events such as external power being disconnected. Portable and OBD2 trackers work differently, so the most suitable setup depends on the vehicle and how it is used.
Overwatch's own range makes that trade-off concrete. The PLX5 is hardwired to vehicle power for permanent fleet installs, the PLX8 plugs into the OBD2 port and moves between vehicles, and the PLX3 is a portable magnetic unit aimed at equipment and assets. All three are listed at $199.
The reporting interval is the part worth reading before ordering. The two powered units track in real time; the battery-powered PLX3 reports every three minutes, which is the difference between watching a vehicle leave and finding out it already has. Each unit ships with a pre-configured IoT SIM and reports into a hosted portal you open in a browser or on a phone, so there is no separate plan to arrange.
None of these features make a vehicle impossible to steal. A tracker is better treated as another layer of security rather than a replacement for locks, alarms, immobilisers or sensible parking choices.
The nearest light is two properties away, which is the difference between a bay somebody can see into and one nobody can. Photo: Pexels / 04iraqParking Data Can Be Useful for Businesses Too
Knowing where vehicles are being parked isn't only a security issue.
For businesses operating several vehicles, repeated parking patterns can highlight how the fleet is actually being used.
A vehicle regularly sitting a long distance from its next job may indicate inefficient scheduling. Long periods parked with the engine running can add unnecessary fuel use. Vehicles repeatedly stopping outside designated service areas can point to routing problems.
This is where parking information becomes part of a much bigger operational picture.
Rather than looking only at the route a vehicle travelled, businesses can look at where it stopped, how long it remained there and whether those stops matched the work being performed. Our guide to fleet tracking in Australia goes through what that record is worth once a job is disputed.
A Better Parking Spot Is Still the First Line of Defence
Technology can provide useful information when something goes wrong, but choosing a sensible place to park remains one of the simplest precautions available.
When possible, look for good lighting, regular pedestrian activity and visible surveillance. Avoid leaving valuables on display, lock the vehicle even during short stops and give more thought to locations where the vehicle will remain unattended overnight.
Where the street is the only obvious option and the vehicle is staying put for hours, it is worth checking whether you can book an off-street space near the address instead.
For businesses, it's also worth knowing where company vehicles are being left once the working day ends.
A few extra seconds spent choosing a parking spot won't eliminate vehicle theft or damage. But combined with basic vehicle security and appropriate tracking technology, it can make a vehicle a less convenient target and make unusual movement easier to identify.
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