The number of auto thefts in Canada dropped by 17 percent in the first half of 2024 (H1 2024), according to a new report from Équité Association, the national authority on insurance crime.
The group notes that Canadians endured “peak” auto theft in 2022 and 2023, making this year’s decrease all the more notable. In a press release, Équité Association attributed these results to “the collaborative efforts of the insurance industry, federal and provincial governments, law enforcement agencies, and Canada Border Service Agency (CBSA) to reduce auto theft and disrupt the flow of funds to organized crime.”
Of course, this latest report only accounts for H1 2024, with Équité Association saying Canadians mustn’t get complacent in the months to come. To that point, more than 28,000 cars have already been stolen across Canada so far this year.
What’s more, Équité Association notes that strong efforts to curb auto theft in some provinces may actually have had an adverse effect on others. For instance, auto theft dropped by 14 and 34 percent in Ontario and Quebec, respectively, in H1 2024, while Atlantic Canada actually saw an increase of 11 percent during this period. Équité Association says this is “likely due to the strong measures to combat auto theft in Ontario and Quebec, forcing thieves to other provinces.”
Therefore, the group called on continued efforts in jurisdictions across all of Canada to combat vehicle theft. Équité Association also noted that auto manufacturers have registered anti-theft tech patents and called on more companies to implement such measures.
Image credit: Wikimedia Commons — Myke2020
Source: Équité Association
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