Gyms revealed as vehicle theft hotspot

Victorian authorities have issued a warning to the community after a rise in vehicle thefts from gyms around Melbourne.

It’s understood the thieves are taking car keys from open storage shelves while the owners are working out.

Victoria Police say approximately 250 vehicles were stolen from the carparks of gyms in Melbourne’s southeast between November 2025 and April 2026 – and more than half of those incidents occurred in the cities of Casey, Cardinia, and Greater Dandenong.

The crime spree has been blamed on youth offenders, with several teenagers under investigation after being caught in possession of the allegedly stolen cars.

According to police, the alleged thieves are ‘tailgating’ gym members to gain access to the fitness centres, then helping themselves to unsecured car keys, wallets, and other valuables.

“We’ve recently seen the consequences of cars stolen from gyms and being driven by youths,” said Acting Senior Sergeant Benita Pringle from the Greater Dandenong, Casey and Cardinia Proactive Policing Unit.

“Opportunistic thieves are looking for an easy steal with as little effort as possible. Don’t make it any easier for them to take your car.

“We’re asking gym-goers to exercise caution, to be aware and report suspicious behaviour.”

As we reported in March 2026, car theft in Victoria has almost doubled over a three-year period, with 32,000 reports filed in 2025 alone.

MORE: Q&A with car security professional John Savino