A group of thieves stole more than 20 brand-new JAC utes from a holding yard in Melbourne over the Australia Day long weekend.
Channel Nine reports the enterprising robbers spent all three days of the long weekend (January 25-27) stealing “almost two dozen” top-spec dual-cabs from a freight company on Dohertys Road in Laverton North.
The gang can be seen on CCTV camera footage grinding open the front gate of the business, before locating car keys in an office and then making multiple trips – both day and night – to drive the vehicles away.
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CCTV images courtesy of Channel Nine
The haul was estimated to be worth nearly $1.5 million and the investigation is ongoing.
However, given the most expensive 2025 JAC T9 Haven 4×4 dual-cab ute costs $48,737 drive-away in Victoria, if 24 of them were stolen the total value would be about $1.17m.
In any case, the theft is likely to put a large dent in the delivery of new JAC utes to Victorian customers.
Australian JAC distributor LTS Auto said first deliveries of the new T9 ute commenced in late December via its 62 dealerships nationwide.
Last month the 1000th Australia-bound T9 was produced in China before being shipped here, and more shipments will follow.
Priced from $42,662 before on-road costs in entry-level Oasis guise, and $45,630 plus on-roads for the Haven variant, the T9 is powered by a 2.0-litre turbo-diesel engine producing 125kW of power and 410Nm of torque, matched exclusively with an eight-speed automatic from ZF and four-wheel drive.
It’s backed by a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, for both private and commercial operators, and a seven-year capped price service program.
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