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Thefts and attacks on vehicles force companies to reinforce protection measures

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Car dealerships, leasing companies, fleet operators, and forestry contractors admit concerns over rising crime.

It's not just the weak economy or the high dollar value that have dampened new car sales in the country. Another issue troubling dealerships, due to its impact on the industry, is the insecurity linked to vehicle attacks and thefts, with some stolen units ending up in neighboring countries. This situation also worries fleet rental operators for productive activities like mining and forestry contractors.

This scenario, which the private sector notes is more pronounced in the north of the country and southern areas like La Araucanía, has forced individuals and companies working in these regions to enhance their security measures.

The Risks

"Vehicle theft in the north, especially in the Antofagasta Region, with a focus on the city of Calama, is truly a scourge. Unfortunately, we cannot stop serving our clients (...) especially the large copper mining sector and its suppliers," says Ignacio Correa, general manager of Mitta, one of the largest vehicle rental firms. He adds that despite the insecurity, "we also cannot neglect the Tarapacá Region, where thefts have risen sharply in the last three years."

Diego Mendoza, general secretary of the National Automotive Association of Chile (ANAC), states that the insecurity they observe is linked to the influx of used cars into the country, pickup truck thefts, and illicit border trade. He claims these issues negatively impact car sales, which fell by 3.7% in the country in 2024.

Martín Bresciani, president of the Chilean Automotive Commerce Chamber (Cavem), says, "We’ve seen that large rental or rent-a-car companies generally have significant concerns when vehicles are sent to operations in the north due to the risks."

René Muñoz, manager of the Forestry Contractors Association AG (Acoforag), explains that "in the macro-south zone, we constantly face security problems—it's not something being resolved. This has been going on for 27 years. We’ve learned to live with security measures."

Acoforag's figures show that in 2024, this sector suffered the destruction of 91 forestry machines, nearly a third of which were trucks. The highest damage in the last decade was in 2022, with 392 units affected.

Enhanced Security Measures

Regarding security mechanisms, Ignacio Correa from Mitta explains, "We have everything from mechanical theft deterrents like steering wheel locks or 'pitbull' devices installed on tires to prevent rolling, to two or three layers of electronic security with ignition cutoff. We’re no longer talking about just a simple GPS device—we’ve doubled or tripled protection barriers (...). However, these measures that make stealing parked vehicles harder have led to an increase in armed robberies and intimidation on public roads in some cases."

René Muñoz adds that for pickup trucks, besides GPS, they use Lexan, "polycarbonate plates covering windshields and side windows, along with panic buttons—a remote control used in emergencies to send alerts."

For private car owners, Martín Bresciani notes that "generally, what they use most are GPS and immobilizers."

While Correa acknowledges the efforts of Chilean police, he points out that criminals easily cross borders through "natural" routes to later "launder" stolen vehicles. Carlos Olivos, Fleet Manager at Mitta, suggests that "complementary to security measures, less defendant-friendly legislation would be desirable, so the Public Prosecutor's Office can achieve better results."

The president of Cavem states that "there has been openness from the government to involve the private sector in seeking solutions and sharing information."

Source:El Mercurio