Robot mower theft and security in Australia: what actually protects your mower

A robot mower spends its life outside, often in a front yard, and the good ones cost $1,500 to $5,000. So how much of a theft risk are they, and what stops one walking off? We've pulled together the anti-theft features each brand sold in Australia publishes, what home insurance typically covers, and the practical steps manufacturers and police recommend. Checked 22 October 2026.

By Domestic Robot · Editor: Christian Ganaban · Updated 22 October 2026

Researched, not testedThis guide is based on manufacturer information, Australian retailer listings and independent sources, all linked below. We haven't used these robots ourselves yet.

Quick answer

Thefts happen, but we found no Australian figures showing how often. The best protection is a mix of things: run the mower in a fenced yard, switch on its PIN and lift alarm, and choose a model with GPS tracking over 4G if it mows a front lawn. Most brands now bind the mower to the owner's account so a thief can't set it up again. But GPS tracking usually needs a 4G module or data plan, which is an extra $199 on Navimow's i-series and $349 for Worx's module at Bunnings. Check your home insurance too: many policies cap cover for contents left in the open air, at as little as $1,000 with Budget Direct.

How common is robot mower theft in Australia?

We couldn't find any Australian police, insurer or government statistics that count robot mower thefts separately. What exists is anecdotal: an OzBargain member reported a robot mower taken from their front lawn in November 2025, leaving the charging station behind. CHOICE's buying advice notes robot mowers are portable enough for someone to pick up and carry off, and suggests running them in a securely fenced yard.

Overseas, Irish police appealed for information after a robot mower was taken from a Letterkenny garden in May 2026, and a UK Financial Ombudsman case involved a robot mower stolen from an outbuilding. eufy, citing UK crime data, describes such thefts as uncommon and opportunistic. That's a manufacturer's view, but it matches what little evidence there is: the risk is real but low, and mostly about mowers left visible from the street.

A separate risk is hacking rather than theft. In May 2026 Information Age (ACS) reported that a researcher found every Yarbo robot shared the same root password, giving access to cameras and controls on more than 11,000 machines worldwide; Yarbo said it was fixing it. Keep firmware up to date.

Anti-theft features by brand

Brand	PIN	Alarm	GPS tracking	Other
Husqvarna	Yes	Yes (lift and stop without PIN)	GeoFence and GPS on X-line and cellular models; Automower Connect kit on others	Stolen mower's ID is sent to dealers, who hold it and call police
Segway Navimow	Yes	Yes, siren keeps sounding when switched off	GPS and geofence need 4G: built in on i2 AWD, X3 and H2; $199 Access+ module for i105/i108A	Account binding; Apple Find My support
Mammotion	Not advertised	Not advertised	GPS location, movement history and geofence alerts over 4G (3 years' data on LUBA 3 and LUBA mini 2 AWD)	Account binding; anti-reactivation lock; Lost Mode
eufy	Not confirmed for eufy models	Alert when it leaves its area	GPS and 4G built in on E15 and E18; add-on module for C15	Mower locks when it leaves its work area
MOVA	PIN on LiDAX Ultra; removable key on ViAX, MOVA 600 and LiDAX Pro	Lift alarm (1 minute) on all models	Out-of-map alarm and location; 4G eSIM on LiDAX Ultra AWD, add-on module on others	AirTag slot on some ViAX and LiDAX Pro models
ECOVACS GOAT	PIN on A-series LiDAR	Alarm if lifted or taken beyond the RTK station's range (O-series)	Location via LiDAR or RTK; no 4G mentioned	Lock in the app; ask the dealer to blacklist the serial number
Roborock	4-digit PIN	Siren	No built-in GPS; compartment for a GPS tracker or AirTag	New user can't pair until the owner releases it
Worx Landroid	Yes	Yes	Find My Landroid 4G module, $349 at Bunnings (special order), for Vision Cloud models	Remote lock

From each brand's Australian product and support pages where available, otherwise its global support pages; checked 22 October 2026. Features vary by model, so check the specific mower's page. “Not advertised” means we didn't find it on the brand's pages, not that it's absent.

Which features actually matter

Account binding and anti-reactivation make a stolen mower hard to use or resell, which takes away the motive. Most wire-free brands now do this.
A PIN and lift alarm work without any data plan and deter the casual grab-and-go thief. Turn them on: some ship with them off.
GPS tracking is the only feature that helps you get a mower back, and it nearly always needs 4G. Mammotion's US pricing for 4G renewal is US$49.90 a year; we couldn't find Australian renewal prices for Mammotion, Navimow or eufy on the pages we checked, so ask before you buy.
Dealer blacklisting, offered by Husqvarna and ECOVACS, helps when a stolen mower turns up for service.

If theft worries you, a wired mower such as the Husqvarna Automower 305 has a PIN and alarm but no GPS. Wire-free models with built-in 4G, such as the LUBA 3 AWD or Navimow's i2 AWD, include tracking out of the box.

Does home insurance cover a stolen robot mower?

Usually as contents, but with limits that matter for something that lives outside. Policies we checked:

Budget Direct: pays at most $1,000 for contents stolen in the open air at your address.
Youi: contents outside are covered up to 10% of your contents sum insured, capped at $20,000.
NRMA (2022 PDS): general contents in the open air covered up to 20% of the general contents sum insured; gardening equipment counts as contents, but computers and personal electronic devices in the open air are excluded. It's not clear which a robot mower would be.
AAMI: covers ride-on mowers as contents, and asks for proof of purchase, a valuation or a photo for items over $3,000.

COTA's consumer guide notes that items in an unlocked or open-sided shed or garage may count as being in the open air. None of the insurers we checked names robot mowers, so ask yours directly, keep the receipt and serial number, and consider listing an expensive mower as a specified item. Insurance wording changes, so read your own Product Disclosure Statement.

Practical steps to protect your mower

Fence and gate. Keep gates shut and fences in good repair; front lawns are the most exposed.
Hide the dock. Put the charging station out of sight of the street where your mower's navigation allows, and anchor it with the supplied pegs or screws.
Lock it away when you're not using it. ECOVACS and eufy suggest storing the mower in a locked shed or garage overnight, on holidays and in the off-season.
Add a tracker if your model lacks GPS: Roborock and some MOVA models have a slot for one.
Mark it. SA Police recommends engraving your driver's licence number, prefixed with S for South Australia, near the serial number; Queensland Police suggests an engraved or microdot personal code registered at a police station. Photograph the mower and record the serial number.
Cameras and lights. A visible camera or motion light covering the lawn is a deterrent, and footage helps police.

If your mower is stolen

Report it to police and get a reference number. Then contact the manufacturer or dealer with the serial number, model and proof of purchase: Husqvarna circulates the mower's ID to its dealers, ECOVACS can blacklist the serial number, and Mammotion owners can switch on Lost Mode and share GPS history with police. Don't try to recover it yourself from a GPS location; give it to police. Then lodge your insurance claim.

Buying second-hand? Ask the seller to remove the mower from their app account in front of you. Account-locked mowers can't be set up by a new owner, and a seller who can't release it may not own it.

Choosing a mower with theft in mind

If your lawn is in the front yard or visible from the street, put built-in 4G and GPS high on your list, and price in the data renewal. Our small yards, large blocks and Husqvarna vs Mammotion guides list each pick's anti-theft features, and eufy vs Segway Navimow compares those two brands' 4G options.

Common questions

Do robot mowers get stolen in Australia?

Some do, but we found no Australian statistics. Reports are anecdotal, such as an OzBargain member's mower taken from a front lawn in 2025. Front yards and mowers visible from the street are most at risk.

Can a stolen robot mower be used by someone else?

Most current wire-free mowers are bound to the owner's account and can't be set up again without the owner's login, according to Mammotion, Navimow and Roborock. Husqvarna and ECOVACS also flag stolen serial numbers to dealers.

Do robot mowers have GPS tracking?

Many do, but tracking usually needs 4G. It's built into models such as eufy's E15 and E18, Navimow's i2 AWD and X3, and Mammotion's LUBA 3 AWD. Navimow's i105 and i108A need the $199 Access+ module.

Is a robot mower covered by home insurance?

Usually as contents, but cover for items in the open air is often capped, for example at $1,000 with Budget Direct. Check your policy's wording and consider listing it as a specified item.

How do I stop my robot mower being stolen?

Run it in a fenced yard, turn on the PIN and alarms, use GPS tracking if available, keep the dock out of sight of the street, and lock the mower away when you're on holiday or not mowing.

Sources

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