Crime Overseas demand fuels surge in mini truck thefts

Small pickup truck thefts, particularly the popular 660cc mini trucks, are on the rise in Japan. This surge is linked to the growing demand for these vehicles overseas. Annually, approximately 100 mini-trucks are reported stolen. Experts attribute this increase to the simple design, which makes it easy to disassemble and reassemble for export.

A National Police Agency nationwide tally of vehicles stolen between January and June this year showed high-end models such as Toyota's Land Cruiser and Lexus LX were particularly popular among auto thieves. But mini trucks, commonly known as keitora, are among the most stolen vehicles, including Daihatsu Motor Co.'s Hijet (55 units, including the minivan edition) and Suzuki Motor Corp.'s Carry (44). Around 100 units of each model were also stolen in 2022 and 2023. According to auto journalist Kumiko Kato, gangs that specialize in auto theft typically drive stolen vehicles to salvage yards that turn a blind eye to illicit goings-on, dismantle them as quickly as possible, ship them out of the country in container ships, and reassemble them for sale elsewhere.

Click to expand...

The simplicity of their design and limited sophisticated electronics make light trucks an attractive target for thieves. These vehicles can be relatively easily disassembled and reassembled, facilitating their export. The unique evolution of light trucks as a Japanese vehicle class has also contributed to their global appeal. Their popularity has grown significantly in the United States, Europe, India, and Australia. In India, the widespread availability of Suzuki parts, particularly for the Carry model, has further boosted demand. Australia's relaxed import restrictions on used cars in 2017 also contributed to the surge in demand. The weak yen has significantly fueled this trend, making Japanese light trucks more affordable for overseas buyers and creating a promising market dynamic.

In prize money 1 million yen ... stolen vehicle "discovery of the miracle" a coherence expert alarm bell "… by the application of the rule for 25 years"

Group of 3 that it breaks into a car to have appeared in the security camera. Finally, I steal a light truck.

The body which the car is found, but was white afterwards is ... in black. The mileage is 6,000 kilos in stolen one and a half months. I press a mystery.
Furthermore, a rent-a-car is the antique sportscar which there was on F1 racer, Lewis Hamilton for theft. An owner of 1 million yen when offer a prize, information is ... one after another. I chased the steps of the stolen vehicle with an expert.
And, about three weeks later, I did that I was found in the container to foreign countries of Yokohama Port. What saw from there "American "rule for 25 years." It was the reason why an antique sportscar was aimed at.
■I have purchase ... light truck stolen for about 1.2 million yen
Around 0:00 a.m. Group of 2 dressed in work clothes appears in the parking lot of the reform company in Ina-machi, Saitama.
Will you be going to break open a rear window? Then group of 2 who stops movement suddenly. A car passed the neighborhood.
Aim at the window of the door in front, and is white this time; crack. Group of 2 looks for the inside of car. It is a car break-in suspect.
The state to load the thing which I stole onto the car which oneself got into was reflected in the security camera.
Manager, Ken Kawada interest of the damaged reform company talks in this way.
Kawada
"I break a window suddenly, and is it said that I open a car immediately? The great feeling that I do not be well experienced in. One is a watchdog, and, in group of 3, two people seem to steal a thing"
You let a light turn on, and would you send some kind of signals to a friend?
Furthermore, group of 2 stole the light truck which a reform company purchased for about 1.2 million yen three years ago.
Why did you aim at a white light truck while there was the car which I damaged? The surprising expectations of the criminal group were hidden there.
■To a larcenist as for "another purpose?"
Kawada submits a damage notice. The police identify a security camera picture, too.
Kawada
As though "I am reflected well, a number was a forged number. Until a criminal arrest, I did not seem to be able to identify it"
According to Kawada, total damage is about 2 million yen. When the car did not come out anymore, I gave it up.
However, a light truck was found in the reform company 100 kilos or more in remote Hitachi-shi, Ibaraki .
However, as for the figure, the body which was white became black. It is said that the thing of another car was attached to the number plate at the time of the discovery.
Kawada
"I had a number of cars number here, but came to be sharpened"
Furthermore, a mysterious record was left and was to the instrument of the car.
Kawada
But "the mileage was 20,000 kilos (before being stolen) and I get nervous … to nearly 26,000 kilos"
It is that ran as 2 make a round trip to 6,000 kilos, Honshu to the north and south in only one and a half months what. And コンパネ is put up in the carrier, and it is said that a large quantity of garbage was piled up at the time of discovery.
Kawada
"Possibly was it used by collection of waste articles?"
It is collection of waste articles by car which I stole? In fact, the expert supposes that the larcenist has another purpose.
Car life journalist Kumiko Kato
"I am flexible and am very convenient to look for the next game to pile up the game of the car break-in as a foot of the thief corps (as for the light truck), and to return. "No, is collection of waste articles" (as for the garbage) even if is doubted by the person of inhabitants; is, think whether can make such an excuse. I think it to be (sell) to be able to take out abroad (by car) if I use it to some extent"
■Coherence exclusive for a chase of sportscar ... passion that faded away
In fact, the Japanese light truck is popular abroad, and it is said that there is the number of theft in a tendency to increase. As well as it, there was the car which a larcenist targeted as a product for foreign countries in late years.
Kato
"Abroad and the model who has not been sold is very popular now …"
It is a Japanese old sportscar. This is an antique sportscar sold by car which encounters theft in this January, and became the topic in SNS 25 years ago.
An owner of up to 1 million yen offer a prize, and call for reporting.
Then in sequence information. It adhered to a chase of the passion of the car which disappeared exclusively.
It is "the interesting rent-a-car" which handles mainly a sportscar in Noda-shi, Chiba that hung prize money to the stolen vehicle.
The F1 racer that what I had stolen is proud of 7 degrees championship, Lewis Hamilton and the one which should be right also known as "face of the company" which the actor starring got on of the hollywood movies. It was stolen.
"The interesting rent-a-car" which had its car stolen
Representative Takafumi Saito
"It is the very popular car that the remarkable rise is intense in a used market very now"
At the time of the release 25 years ago, was from 5000000 yen to 6000000 yen, but now 15 million yen or more. I used it as a rent-a-car.
The visitor whom I borrowed a car from on the day before theft takes a ceremonial photograph in several places of Tokyo and stays at a hotel in Chiba. When the visitor who woke up the next day at around half past 8 a.m. appeared in the parking lot, the car disappeared, and only the key circumference and a piece of the glass were left.
Saito of the owner whom I reported to the police raised witness information afterwards in SNS. Then it is ...
Representative Saito
"Absolutely and I have at 10:00 p.m. on the day when (information) to be reliable improved it by this car (in SNS) …"
In the photograph which had been sent by an eyewitness, it was pure, and there was only one, and the number plate was seen as well as the car which the scarf which there should be had stolen approximately in the same way, but two were different only in lower one digit. I might be forged.
Representative Saito
As "only this model is in the color that the white is rare. I think that there are very few numbers to be sold in a city"
Afterwards of up to 1 million yen when offered a prize, a little less than 20 information was sent, and most were concentrated in Tsuchiura-shi, Ibaraki.
If time passes, I am dismantled, and it may be sold. Representative Saito decided to ask cooperation of "a certain person" while there was not the postponement of moment.
Cooperation a lot of in the search of the stolen vehicle
Automotive internist Kazuto Miyake
When "it is this neighborhood, I use along Route 16 (as for the larcenist) if Route 354 is along it"
It is Kazuto Miyake of the automotive internist who cooperated with the search of the stolen vehicle much. Kato of the car life journalist who knew a lot about the theft crime of the car participated and started a search.
I left for Tsuchiura-shi, Ibaraki where witness information was concentrated.
■The information from "stolen vehicle" parent and child who witnessed it is ...
Representative Saito
"There was witness information running in the neighboring traffic lane here"
Theft is found out; and about six hours later. There was the witness information of the similar car which went to the Tsuchiura area near Tsukuba-shi, a bus stop of Kise. About 6 kilos ahead, Route 6 in Tsuchiura-shi were the places where witness information was sent to measuring up frequently from the theft next day in distance in a straight line.
epresentative Saito
In "sea direction on a way in front of this one and two days ago when there was one witness information in the evening at an intersection of the one other side"
In Tsuchiura-shi where there was much witness information of the thing which faced the spot, I was not able to catch the new clue.
Successively the search team to prefectural border, Bando-shi, Ibaraki with Chiba. About 12 hours after theft detection, I witness the car which closely resembled it and am the informant who photographed it.
Parent and child who witnessed "a stolen vehicle"
"There are two people if I look at this …"
"It is by big force"
It was about around 10:00 p.m. that I witnessed a car.
Parent and child who witnessed "a stolen vehicle"
Though "upper (way along the dike) is a paved way, "the neighborhood is gravel" which the bottom is not paved very much"
"It is a way probably to know" (always) "… as I ran up the gravel if I will turn to there without question"
According to parent and child who witnessed it, it is said that a car rarely goes by night here. Besides, it is ...
Parent and child who witnessed "a stolen vehicle"
"It was not one. … sedan-like luxury model-like one"
Parent and child who thought questioningly chase two cars immediately. I had you show around the way.
Two which passed through about 2 kilos, the village from the place that parent and child witnessed cross the bridge; and to the Chiba side. The sportscar enters a sedan and parting, the farm road afterwards.
Representative Saito
"It is a way to wind it up (I notice a chase). To wind it up or to reduce a witness. Because there are many cars when it is a main street, I am seen ..."
When the car appeared in the main street, I took the route toward the north, but came to cannot but stop it because an intersection of there changed to a red light. A place is ...
Parent and child who witnessed "a stolen vehicle"
"Oneself stops around here. A right turn lane was just empty. So I did it with whiz (going straight) from the right turn lane"
The car escapes in defiance of a red light, and it is said that it has disappeared.
Representative Saito
"The witness information is cut off and feels that I cannot but watch progress of the investigation of the police afterward"
I come to a deadlock here and give up searching it by oneself. However, surprising information became available to Representative Saito about three weeks later after a car was stolen.
■A lot of same type of cars are ... for damage
Representative Saito
When "a car was found in the police of Yokohama suddenly …"
It was Yokohama Port about 60 kilos away from the stolen place that was found. It is said that a stolen vehicle was loaded when the customs submit the container to the foreign countries where there were defects in documents to an examination for X-rays.
Representative Saito
"I was really almost surprised as I gave it up. It is the place that I see it and want to confirm early"
One month passed from news of the discovery; taking care of finally came true on that day, and a stolen car returned to the company of Noda-shi, Chiba.
The windowpane of the rear seat was broken, and all brakes were taken off for some reason. A key and the electric equipment parts were destroyed, too, but Representative Saito talks in this way.
Representative Saito
"It is not hard to put it back if I supply even parts to there. Or I say that it is fortunate …"
Representative Saito aims at the rental resumption within one month.