Motor vehicle theft in several provinces increased last year, the insurance industry group Equity Association said on Tuesday.
The non-profit association, which focuses on the prevention of insurance fraud and crime, pointed out in a report that the Canadian insurance industry lost in 2022, for the first time, over $1 billion in stolen vehicles.
Vehicle theft has increased 50% in Quebec year over year, 48.3% in Ontario, 34.5% in Atlantic Canada and 18.3% in Alberta, said Equity Association. .
According to Equity Association President and CEO Terri O’Brien, vehicle theft has become a national crisis.
“We know that vehicles are being stolen in Canada by national and international criminal organizations and that the proceeds of these thefts are used to finance drug trafficking, arms trafficking and human trafficking on a national scale, and the international terrorism,” O’Brien said in a statement. These crimes affect our communities and place Canada on the world stage as a source country for illegal trade. »
Cars are often exported, or their vehicle identification number (VIN) is changed, the association pointed out. Profit margins on stolen vehicles are high, the group added, while supply chain issues have fueled the domestic VIN change market.
The national vehicle recovery rate is 57%, with higher rates in Atlantic Canada and Alberta, the Equity Association said in its report.
Most vehicles stolen in Quebec and Ontario are newer, as organized crime networks focus on new and luxury vehicles to make the most of their resale abroad.
He noted the lower recovery rates in Ontario and Quebec, at 45% and 34% respectively, suggest that vehicles stolen in those provinces are primarily exported or resold domestically.
New Brunswick has seen the highest growth in the number of auto thefts among the Atlantic provinces at 55%, which the association says may be related to its geographic location bordering Quebec and the UNITED STATES.
According to Equity Association Vice President of Investigative Services Bryan Gast, the techniques employed by vehicle thieves are constantly evolving and becoming more sophisticated.
The association thus recommends a “layered approach” to protect your car. The first layer is made up of the basics, like keeping vehicle doors locked, never leaving the keys in the ignition, and parking the vehicle in a well-lit area.
The second layer is visible or audible anti-theft devices, such as alarms, steering wheel and brake pedal locks, and identification markers in or on the vehicle. The third layer involves a vehicle immobilizer like smart keys or wireless ignition authentication, and the fourth layer is a tracking system to be used in case of theft.