A fashionable crime
Bandits are stealing vehicles more than ever: reports of organized crime involvement in vehicle thefts have exploded in 2023, according to a recent document from the Canadian Criminal Intelligence Service (CISC). The report notes that vehicle thefts linked to organized crime groups (OCGs) increased by 62% compared to 2022. Traditionally, street gangs and other criminal groups have several sources of illicit income: sale of narcotics, trafficking of people, money laundering, firearms trafficking. But the police note that their involvement in these activities has stagnated and sometimes even decreased over the past five years. Many appear to have fallen back on the vehicle theft market, which in recent years has increased considerably, the document summarizes.
Piracy on the rise
Stealing cars, a crime without violence? Not quite, we deduce in light of the SCRC report. In Ontario, we are seeing an increase in “road piracy”, that is, attacks on the driver allowing the thief to take control of the vehicle. Between 2021 and 2022, the Toronto, York and Peel police services estimate that this phenomenon will double. Police officers attribute this increase to, paradoxically, the improvement of anti-theft devices which make it more risky to steal vehicles when they are parked. “Carjacking is expected to become more common as citizens attempt to make their personal vehicles a harder target for thieves. »
Port of Montreal, hub
The port of Montreal is the main point of departure for stolen vehicles across the country, the SCRC report broadly highlights. “Container shipping is the primary means of exporting cars internationally,” the report notes. Before going overseas, the car is left for a few days in stand-by, in a residential area or a discreet parking lot. The criminals involved will then inspect it to ensure that there are no tracking devices. “As this increasingly becomes a threat to public safety and officer safety, the best way to disrupt these networks may be to focus law enforcement on attempting to export the vehicle at ports of entry », suggests the report.
A wave from east to west
The phenomenon of vehicle theft is present throughout Canada. However, we note that in the west of the country, thefts are often opportunistic crimes, with vehicles being stolen while they are left running or unlocked. In Quebec and Ontario, well-established networks possibly linked to organized crime use more sophisticated methods, according to the report. Alberta is now behind Quebec in terms of vehicle thefts despite a smaller population base. But Quebec is not left out: criminal groups established in our province are increasingly targeting vehicles in Ontario and the Western provinces, according to the authorities. In Montreal, vehicle thefts are up 29% since the start of 2023, according to data from the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM).
Popular recent models
Owners of new SUVs, stay on the lookout: the stolen cars are often recent models, i.e. those produced between 2020 and 2023. The vehicles coveted by the criminals are Toyota (RAV4 and Highlander), Honda CR-V, Ram 1500 , Jeeps (Wrangler or Grand Cherokee), Ford F-150 and General Motors SUVs (Chevrolet Suburban, GMC Yukon and Chevrolet Tahoe). Why these models? They are popular with the international market because they are relatively expensive and not offered in Africa and the Middle East. It is also to these two places that most of the stolen merchandise is sent.
Disguised vehicles
All vehicles are identified by a unique number assigned during construction, the VIN. In order to go under the radar, thieves “re-enter” the VIN, to use an expression taken from criminal jargon. In other words, they replace it. The new VIN is either a legitimate number that has not yet been assigned by the manufacturer or that of a similar existing model. When a vehicle is reported stolen in Canada, the VIN is recorded as stolen, making re-registration almost impossible. “But once a stolen vehicle has been successfully ‘re-hit’, it is easy to register it in the province where it was originally stolen, or in another province,” says the report obtained by The Press.
A billion losses
If these thefts are profitable for the criminals, they are costly for insurance companies, the document argues. Claims related to the phenomenon cost the country’s insurance companies about $1 billion each year. If four-wheeled vehicles are popular with thieves, it is because they are increasingly expensive: inflation has increased the price of new vehicles. In June 2023, the average cost of a car was more than 20% higher than the previous year. “As the value of vehicles will likely continue to increase, representing even greater profit potential, CISC assesses that the involvement of organized crime in the market will further increase,” it explains in The report.
Well organized thieves…
Car theft networks are structured organizations where everyone has their role. A brief overview which allows you to better understand the workings.
Spotter
The spotter scans the streets and commercial parking lots looking for prized vehicles. He can either sell the information to the underworld or have the targeted car tracked using a GPS device.
Thief
It could be a gang member or a young delinquent. His task is simple: steal the car quickly and discreetly.
Driver
The latter, again generally a young bandit, is recruited to drive the vehicle to the port of Montreal.
…to the top of the pyramid
With the majority of stolen vehicles intended for “export”, organized criminal groups also rely on a high-level structured network.
Facilitator
It is an intermediary who lists the models and number of vehicles requested by the buyer.
Buyer
This person, who lives in Canada or abroad, orders and buys stolen vehicles across the country.
Exporter
At the top of the pyramid, the exporter coordinates the movement of stolen vehicles abroad. He may use legitimate companies or create his own companies using fake documents or nominees. The police estimate that an exporter makes a profit of $50,000 per container, which generally contains two vehicles.
With the collaboration of William Leclerc, The Press
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- 18
- This is the number of criminal groups operating in the vehicle theft market in Quebec. There are 45 in Ontario and 14 in the other provinces.
Source: Canadian Criminal Intelligence Service