The Great Hilux Heist!
- Peter Dickens
- Jan 13
- 3 min read
Updated: Mar 18
There are remote places...and then there are the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, a tiny Australian territory so far out in the Indian Ocean that even seagulls need to pack snacks to get there. Two habitable islands, about six hundred people, and, critically, an airport bar that seems to be the centre of all major social transactions.
Southern Cross Aviation had been contracted to ferry a Boeing 737-300 from Australia to the UK, with a planned overnight stop on Cocos. Work colleagues of mine, Peter Fraser and his fellow pilot, Edwin Boshoff, had been there many times before. They knew the routine; land at 4pm and head straight to the "club" (a bar so casual that it makes country pubs look like the Ritz).
After a few cold beers with the local Aussie contingent, Edwin, ever the adventurer, asked whether there was anywhere on the island to hire a car.
The local gentleman, without missing a beat, replied:
"No hire cars here, mate...but you can take mine.
It's the white Toyota Hilux parked out the front. Keys are in it".
This was an extremely generous offer.
It was also, in hindsight, extremely unhelpful information, because when Edwin and Peter walked outside, they discovered not one white Hilux...but around fourteen of them, all identical, all casually parked with their keys dangling invitingly from the ignition.
This was less a car park and more a Hilux breeding ground!
Nevertheless, pilots are trained to make decisions under pressure. So they picked one.
What could possibly go wrong?
About twenty minutes into their island adventure, Hilux humming happily, scenery rolling by, the unmistakable flash of police lights appeared behind them. Now, most places have a police force. Cocos has two federal officers who wear every possible hat: policing, immigration, customs, referee, crisis negotiation, unofficial tour guide - you name it!
And today, one of them was also the man tasked with informing Peter and Edwin that they were, regrettably, driving a stolen vehicle.
As the officer approached the window, Peter and Edwin prepared their explanation, the sort of explanation that can only be delivered with deep sincerity:
"We were told to take the white Hilux with the keys in it."
The officer stared at them.
Then stared at the Hilux.
Then stared at them again with a look that said "Oh dear lord, the tourists are loose."
Thankfully, the officer had met pilots before, and after confirming that they had simply chosen the wrong identical car from the identical lineup, he let them off with a warning and sent them on their way. No handcuffs. No island-wide manhunt. Just a gentle reminder that not every unlocked Hilux is fair game.
The Sequel
Four weeks later, myself and Edwin were back, this time flying a Fokker F100 from the Netherlands to Australia, with another scheduled fuel stop on Cocos.
We landed at 8am and waited for the immigration/customs/police officer to board the aircraft. Remember, there are only two officers on the entire island, so statistically the odds were really high...
...and up the stairs walks the same officer from the Great Hilux Heist.
He stepped into the cabin, spotted Edwin, and broke into a grin:
"Ah, Mr Boshoff...you are back again!"
The tone was friendly. The subtext?
Please, for the love of all things tropical, don't steal another ute.
Fortunately, it was just a transit stop, not an overnight one, which dramatically reduced the risk of further unintentional vehicle acquisitions.
The Moral of the Hilux Story
If you ever find yourself on the Cocos Island and someone offers you the keys to their white Hilux, remember:
There are many white Hiluxes.
They all have their keys in them.
Only one of them is actually the one you've been offered.
Choose wisely, or prepare for another cameo in the island police logbook.
And as for Southern Cross Aviation's motto, "Anywhere, Anytime"....
It probably applies to flying aircraft, not unofficially test driving the local fleet!
Want the full story?
This remarkable story is just one of the real world flying adventures told in Life on a Wing and a Prayer, stories from a lifetime spent flying aircraft in places where aviation doesn't always follow the rulebook.
If you enjoy tales of remote flying, unexpected danger, and the occasional absurd situation that only aviation can produce...
You'll want to read the full story.
