Efforts to cut back auto theft proceed to repay — however the variety of autos stolen in 2024 remains to be “unreasonably excessive,” the trade’s fraud prevention affiliation introduced in the present day.
Nationally, auto theft fell 18.6% in 2024 in comparison with the earlier 12 months, Équité Affiliation says in its newly launched 2024 Auto Theft Trend Report.
A complete of 57,359 personal passenger autos had been stolen throughout the nation in 2024 — a lower from earlier historic highs of 70,475 in 2023, and 70,082 in 2022.
Équité says this constructive development is tied to collaborative efforts between federal and provincial governments and legislation enforcement in 2024 to fight auto thefts, which Équité says are largely orchestrated by organized crime.
“Organized crime is actively working to seek out vulnerabilities that permit them to launder cash by insurance coverage crimes, primarily to fund drug trafficking,” the affiliation says. “Insurance coverage crime, together with auto theft, is a important funding mechanism for drug trafficking by organized crime in Canada.”
Momentum has improved since Équité’s half-year 2024 report, which discovered auto theft was trending down by 17% within the first six months of the 12 months.
Nonetheless, the issue continues to pose a security risk to Canadians, says Équité.
“The following most impactful step for stopping auto theft is to make autos tougher to steal within the first place,” the report reads. “Transport Canada is predicted to launch measures in 2025 that may doubtlessly mandate auto producers to modernize security units for auto theft prevention.”
The nationwide restoration fee for stolen autos in 2024 is 59.3%, which implies roughly 40% of stolen autos are by no means recovered.
Auto theft developments by province
Quebec noticed the most important regional drop in auto thefts, from 15,225 stolen autos in 2023 to 10,290 final 12 months — a 32.4% lower.
Ontario adopted with a 17.4% slide — from 30,134 autos stolen in 2023, to 24,877 in 2024.
Low restoration charges for stolen automobiles in Ontario (50.8%) and Quebec (43.6%) point out these autos are probably being exported abroad by ports, which makes them more durable to recuperate. They’re additionally being dismantled and bought for components, and re-VINed and utilized by criminals or bought domestically.
In these two provinces, the bulk (greater than 70%) of stolen autos had been manufactured in 2017 or later, displaying organized crime syndicates are focussed on stealing new and luxurious autos to maximise earnings in abroad markets.
SUVs had been essentially the most stolen car sort in Ontario (42%) and Quebec (55%).
In Western Canada — which incorporates British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba — car thefts dropped 12.7% from the 12 months earlier than. Alberta alone noticed a ten% lower.
Mixed, this accounts for 20,130 complete thefts in 2024, in comparison with 23,055 in 2023.
Regardless of upward developments in car thefts, restoration charges within the area worsened in comparison with earlier years, which suggests a rise within the exportation and re-VINing of autos.
Western Canada noticed a 77% restoration fee in 2024, in comparison with 85% in 2023 and 87% in 2022.
“Alberta has turn into a feeder province to register stolen and re-VINed autos to the remainder of Canada,” Équité finds.
A full 42% of all stolen personal passenger autos in Alberta had been vehicles, in contrast with 38% throughout the remainder of Western Canada.
When it comes to car age, Alberta thefts are dispersed equally throughout mannequin years. Nonetheless, “there may be now virtually an excellent cut up in mannequin years, with older vehicles trending down, and thefts of newer autos trending up,” says Équité.
The Atlantic provinces noticed just about no change in auto theft developments in 2024 (2,062) in comparison with the 12 months earlier than (2,061).
The vast majority of thefts in Atlantic Canada (42%) had been autos made between 2010 and 2016, with automobiles (comprising sedans, coupes, hatchbacks and wagons) being essentially the most stolen car sort (39%).
The Port of Halifax has turn into a hotspot for fraudulently financed car exportation makes an attempt. “Fraudulent financing consists of utilizing an artificial or stolen identification to buy a car,” says Équité.
Characteristic picture by iStock.com/Flex Level Safety
