Victoria’s crime rate is on the rise. Find out the steps you can take to protect your home and car against theft, along with tips for small business owners facing an increase in retail theft.
Security
Why burglars are targeting your garage
For most homeowners, the garage is little more than a place to park the car or stash the lawnmower. But increasingly, it's becoming one of the most common targets for opportunistic thieves.
In recent years, Victoria Police have reported a rise in thefts from residential garages across Victoria. This trend is fuelled by homeowner complacency, easy access points and the increasing value of items stored inside.
"From power tools and bicycles to expensive camping gear, burglars know that garages often contain thousands of dollars' worth of valuables," says Neighbourhood Watch CEO Bambi Gordon.
Here's why your garage may be more vulnerable than you think - and what you can do to keep it secure. Along with checking that your home insurance policy is up to date, with a few simple security upgrades and some smarter habits, you can dramatically reduce your risk of burglary.
Why burglars are targeting garages in Victoria
Garages are often the weakest link
Most people take extra care to lock doors and even windows leading into the main house, but the garage is often overlooked. A single-panel garage door with a flimsy lock can provide quick and quiet access for thieves.
Older roller doors are particularly vulnerable. Many can be opened in seconds using a coat hanger or a simple screwdriver. Even newer electric doors aren't foolproof: a determined burglar can exploit weaknesses in the emergency release mechanism or intercept an outdated remote-control code.
Garages hide valuable items in plain sight
Step inside a typical suburban garage and you might find bicycles, golf clubs, surfboards, garden tools, car accessories, power tools, camping equipment, and even home gym gear. It's a treasure trove of easily sold items.
Bicycles and tools are among the top items stolen in garage break-ins, often because they're highly visible and left near the entrance. Unlike electronics or jewellery, which require more planning to steal and sell, these items can be loaded into a car or ute within minutes and with little chance of detection.
Garages offer discreet access to the home
In many modern homes, the garage connects directly to the house through an internal door. For thieves, this can be an easy way to move from a detached or semi-secure space into your living areas if the connecting door isn't deadlocked.
Even detached garages or carports can provide useful cover. Burglars can hide behind vehicles or structures while forcing entry, often shielded from the street by fences or overgrown landscaping.
Burglars exploit remote-control and smart-tech weaknesses
Technology has made garage doors more convenient, but not always more secure. Some older remotes use fixed-frequency codes that can be cloned or intercepted. A thief with the right device can copy your remote signal and open your door later without ever touching a lock.
Even smart garage systems, if not properly set up, can create vulnerabilities. Weak passwords, outdated firmware or unsecured Wi-Fi connections may allow hackers to access connected openers remotely. As smart-home adoption grows, so too does the need to stay ahead of digital risks.
Enjoy the convenience of a remote-controlled garages, but don’t overlook the digital security risks. Image: Getty
How to help prevent garage theft
Always keep the garage door closed
This one might seem obvious, but how often do you drive or walk down a residential street and see a few garage doors wide open and with no residents in sight?
This acts as an open invitation to burglars. Many thefts happen during the day, when homeowners are working in the garden or inside the house. Thieves know how quickly they can grab a bike or tool set and disappear.
Always close and lock your garage when not in use, and don't leave the remote in your car if it's parked outside.
Upgrade your garage locks and doors
Strong physical barriers remain the best defence against theft. To help secure your garage, use good quality locks on garage doors, windows and other external doors.
If possible, upgrade to a modern, high-security roller door with anti-lift protection and reinforced panels. You can fit a manual locking bar or ground anchor on roller doors, which prevent the door from being lifted even if the opener is compromised.
You can also install an automatic garage door closer that closes the garage door for you after a certain period, or an automatic garage door lock that deadbolts the garage door every time you close it.
If your garage has windows, secure them with locks and install curtains or frosting to obscure valuables inside.
More: Guide to garage door security and servicing
Keep valuables out of plain sight
If your garage is being used as storage for expensive items, don't place them near garage windows where burglars can easily see them from the outside. Easy visibility allows burglars to size up your house, giving them intel on whether your garage might be their next big payday.
Whenever possible, store valuable items out of view, ideally behind locked cabinets, inside locked tool chests, or covered with opaque tarps. You can also use wall hooks or ceiling racks to keep items off the floor and less accessible to intruders.
According to Gordon, "Burglars don't want to be in your house for any longer than they have to. They are lazy, fearful of being caught, and opportunistic. If they see a quick and easy way to steal property, they will."
Keep automatic garages doors maintained and in good repair.
Secure the home entry door
Modern homes present the risk of a burglar gaining entry to the rest of the house once they're in the garage, as they are usually built with an entry door into the main home.
Install a quality deadbolt on any side or internal doors leading into the garage or home. Ensure that the strike plate (where the lock meets the door) is reinforced, as this is usually the weakest point in the door.
Consider sensor lights, security cameras or alarms
Burglars often rely on darkness and cover, so a well-lit garage exterior is one of the simplest deterrents. Install motion-sensor lights near entry points, pathways and driveways. For added peace of mind, connect lighting to a timer or your home security system so it activates automatically after dark.
Modern security technology has become more affordable than ever. Installing a smart security cameras above your garage door or inside the garage can provide instant alerts to your phone if movement is detected.
If you already have a home alarm system, make sure your garage is included in its coverage. Motion sensors or door contacts can alert you or your monitoring service to unauthorised entry.
Ensure garage access points are highly visible
Overgrown shrubs or tall fences can give burglars cover to work undetected.
Ensure trees and shrubs are kept tidy near entry points to garages and side doors, with the doors clearly visible from a distance.
It also helps to get to know your neighbours. A close-knit community where people notice unusual activity is far less appealing to thieves.
Apartment blocks with communal garages bring extra challenges for garage security. Image: Getty
Reinforce your garage's emergency release cord
One of the most common ways thieves enter garages is by pulling the emergency release cord through the top gap of the door.
You can help prevent this by installing a shield or cover over the release mechanism. Alternatively, you can use a zip tie to secure the release handle - although make sure you can break the tie in an emergency.
Keeping the top of the roller door tightly fitted to the frame to eliminate gaps also prevents cord exploitation.
Take extra precautions in communal garages
Gordon says basement car parks are particularly susceptible to theft from storage cages and unlocked cars.
"People with wire fences around their security cage should line the cage with plastic sheeting or similar, so that potential offenders are not tempted by what is being stored inside," she says.
"It's also important to not let a car follow you through a gate into a garage unless you are sure that they are a resident."
Keep your home insurance updated
Even with the best precautions, thefts can still occur. That's why it's important to make sure your home and contents insurance covers items stored in your garage.
If you keep high-value items such as bikes, power tools or musical instruments in your garage, consider listing them individually to help ensure the best protection.
How safe is your place?
Gain a better understanding of the safety of your home through How Safe Is My Place, a free self-assessment tool which can help you understand how safe your home is from burglary and what you can do to improve security in and around the home.
The information provided is general advice only. Before making any decisions please consider your own circumstances and the Product Disclosure Statement and Target Market Determinations. For copies, visit racv.com.au. As distributor, RACV Insurance Services Pty Ltd AFS Licence No. 230039 receives commission for each policy sold or renewed. Product(s) issued by Insurance Manufacturers of Australia Pty Ltd ABN 93 004 208 084 AFS Licence No. 227678.
RACV Security Pty Ltd ABN 49 079 148 342 trading as RACV Home Security. Security Licence (Vic.) 733-411-10S and Security Registration (Vic.) 733-411-31S.
