20 new Honda Civic Type R among 45 cars stolen in Australian port robbery worth $1.3 million

The thieves stole a total of 45 vehicles, 21 of which have already been recovered by local authorities

Last week, a group of thieves stole shiny, brand-new vehicles worth A$2 million ($1.3 million) from a stockyard in Port Melbourne, Australia, including 20 FL5s Honda Civic Type Rs.

The theft occurred between 3 p.m. on October 20 and 6:30 a.m. the next morning. According to Victoria Police, two men and two women entered the property, breaching security and taking a total of 45 unregistered vehicles. They weren’t particularly picky when it came to the loot, going after a variety of models and makes in what was one of the most brazen car thefts Melbourne has seen in years.

More: See the 2023 Honda Civic Type R in 264 photos from its Australian launch

In addition to an impressive 20 Civic Type R’s, the thieves also stole three Skoda Kamiqs, five Skoda Kodiaqs, a VW Golf R, three VW Tiguans, three Skoda Superbs, two Honda ZR-Vs, two GMW Tank 300s, Honda Accordtwo Honda CR-Vs and a pair of Mercedes-Benz Sprinters. It wasn’t just a quick exchange; it was a full-scale shopping spree in which the perpetrators apparently took whatever they liked.

As of October 23, authorities had recovered 21 stolen vehicles, although they were unsure which specific models had been found and which were still in their possession.

A 32-year-old woman was also charged with involvement in the theft. She faces charges of reckless driving, possession of false license plates, driving without a license and possession of 1-4 butanediol. She was found after she was caught driving one of the allegedly stolen vehicles on local streets.

According to reports, the thieves entered the closed parking lot and then pushed through the concrete barricades in one of the Sprinters. How they managed to get the cars started remains a mystery, as it’s unclear whether they got the keys or had some high-tech trick up their sleeve.

The Civic Type R FL5 generation launched in Australia in late 2022, with a starting price of US$72,600 (~US$47,900), making it approximately US$12,000 (~US$7,900) more expensive than its predecessor. Despite the high starting price, demand for the car was so great that the first 18 months of allocations were quickly sold out.