Équité Association: Vehicle Theft by Type, First Half 2024
Auto theft trends are down 17% in Canada for the first half of the year, compared to the same period in 2023.
That is according to Équité Association’s First Half of 2024 Auto Theft Trend Report, which also looked at the issue from a provincial standpoint. Based on the study, auto theft is down 14% in Ontario and 36% in Québec. SUVs remain the most popular vehicle category for theft in both provinces.
“We’re seeing some early signs of progress in cracking down on auto theft thanks to the measures implemented, but there’s no room for complacency,” said Bryan Gast, Vice President of Investigative Services at Équité Association, in a statement. “The momentum established in the first half of 2024 has been critical in identifying impactful solutions.”
In Alberta, where trucks remain the most stolen category of vehicle, auto theft has decreased by 5%. However, Atlantic Canada is seeing an increase in the issue — by 11%, “likely due to the strong measures to combat auto theft in Ontario and Quebec, forcing thieves to other provinces,” according to Équité Association. Cars, including sedans, coupes, hatchbacks and wagons between model years 2010-2016, are prime targets.
“To continue the national decrease in auto theft, there must be a shift from recovering stolen vehicles to preventing vehicles from being stolen in the first place,” said Terri O’Brien, President and CEO of Équité Association, in a statement.
He added that many OEMs have registered anti-theft technology patents, and that by using this technology they have the ability to help reduce vehicle theft and prioritize public safety.
