[freetime2]

Car theft spiked drastically in 2022/2023, but is still very low by historical standards (5,000 thefts reported in 2022 vs. 65,000 in 2003 [1]). It’s been in the news a lot lately, which has probably heightened peoples’ perceived risk a bit more than warranted. That being said, I think it’s sensible to avoid publishing photos of valuables on the internet where would-be thieves could take notice.

I think the shortages/increased prices of cars in the wake of the pandemic has contributed to the recent spike in thefts. Anecdotally, I looked into buying a Toyota recently, and the wait time for many of their popular models can be a year or more, or in many cases they aren’t even accepting orders. This sort of scarcity could make theft more lucrative.

[1] https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2023/08/28/japan/crime-leg...