The historic increase in auto thefts across the country is staggering. We need to more to disrupt the criminal networks which often involve violence, firearms and other weapons. As consumers, what can we do to protect ourselves and prevent our vehicles stolen? So far, the federal and provincial governments have done little. Unfortunately, stolen vehicles are rarely seen again — they are used to carry out other crimes or are shipped and resold domestically and overseas. SUVs and pickup trucks are the big targets so what about EVs?
Violent crimes are on the rise
Violent incidents related to auto crimes occurring in Ontario have increased over the last several years. Disturbing trend and it is not getting better! According to Toronto Police, “the number of carjackings in Toronto decreased in 2023 compared to the year before”. Last year there were more than 300 carjackings in the GTA. Many criminals will conduct home invasions to get the keys to the vehicle. The two main motivating factors are larceny-theft of money and drug use. If you look at the national level stats, violent crime rates in 2022 hit their highest levels since 2007. Don’t confront any suspicious individuals and comply with demands if approached by armed suspects. It is not worth it to put your life on the line.
Tracking your stolen vehicle?
Did you hear about the man in the GTA area who had his truck stolen and used an Airtag to track it? This is a bold courageous act that allowed him to track it to a CP railyard in Vaughan. He coordinated with the local police, but it was not exactly foiled. Of course, the police tried to deter him from following the criminals and getting involved. The vehicle was located and secured within a shipping container and was prepared to be shipped by rail. Once the police arrived, nothing could be done since it was out of his jurisdiction and no CP rail staff could be found. Within a couple of days, it was tracked to a Montreal port and ended up in Dubai as its final destination. He is still waiting to get his stolen truck recovered.
The Federal Government needs to do more
Justin Trudeau and the Liberal government are in the “hot seat”. Almost 10,000 vehicles were stolen in Toronto, tripling the increase from last year. We need to tighten bail conditions and introduce harsher penalties for organized crime. Poilievre, the Conservative leader, criticizes Bill C-75, and wants to tighten bail conditions. According to the Conservatives, the changes do not go far enough — some repeat offenders are still being released into the public despite having multiple offences. What about organizing a national task force and getting the RCMP involved? Food for thought.
Ontario’s Task Force
Last October, Ontario recovered over 190 stolen vehicles and made dozens of arrests. This is a coordinated effort between the Toronto Police Department and Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) but has members from forces throughout the region. Hopefully, other provinces and jurisdictions will take note. Disrupting the networks responsible for high-risk auto thefts is not easy, but they are making headway.
We need to protect ourselves
We can take several steps to protect ourselves from home invasions and possible carjackings:
- Park in a well-lit garage and driveway.
- Install a security system and secure backyard gates and ground-floor windows.
- Locking the doors and activating the key fob alarm to create noise and deter thieves.
- Be mindful of intentional rear-end collisions as a way for thieves to potentially carjack your vehicle.
- Drive to the nearest police station if you suspect you’re being tailed.
- Comply with demands of armed thieves/burglars, then call the police once it is safe to do so.
A complex issue with no easy solution
Only through cooperation and ideas can we stop the rise of auto vehicle theft in Canada. We need help from all levels of government including cracking down on the offenders and organized crime units with tougher sentences. Why is there no dedicated police force for the major seaports like Vancouver and Montreal? Clearly, there is a gap in security if shipping containers are not checked thoroughly before they are shipped. Electric vehicles are not being targeted yet since there is little demand overseas, but that could change. Maybe, we can apply some advanced X-ray technology to scan them? Until then, let’s be careful to protect ourselves and lower the risk of our vehicle being stolen. If you wish to shed some light on the subject, please leave a comment. I would love to hear from you.
