Auto Theft Archives - Muskoka411

Ontario Cracking Down On Auto Theft And Careless Driving

News Room — Tue, 05 Nov 2024 01:10:34 +0000

The Ontario government is cracking down on auto theft by introducing legislation that, if passed, would create a new provincial offence for fraudulent vehicle registrations. This is one of a series of measures being taken by the provincial government to fight auto theft, including providing additional funding and equipment to police services to tackle auto theft and introducing legislation that would suspend the driver’s licences of those who are convicted of motor vehicle theft, including lifetime bans for repeat offenders.

“VIN fraud and careless driving are on the rise in Ontario,” said Prabmeet Sarkaria, Minister of Transportation. “That’s why our government is taking steps to protect unsuspecting buyers and giving police the powers they need to keep our roads and communities safe. Our tough new legislation will target car thieves and other reckless behaviour, particularly in instances causing bodily harm or death.”

The proposed legislation would create a new provincial offence under the Highway Traffic Act (HTA) for knowingly providing a false vehicle identification number (VIN) when applying for a vehicle permit. Penalties would be up to $100,000 for convictions, the possibility of up to six months in jail and up to one-year driver’s licence or vehicle permit suspension.

“The federal government has created the conditions that have put our province and our people at risk,” said Graham McGregor, Associate Minister of Auto Theft and Bail Reform. “Under the leadership of Premier Ford, we are doing everything in our power to protect the people of this province from auto theft and criminals, including creating new offences through this legislation.”

The proposed legislation will also make streets safer by expanding careless driving laws to parking lots, such as malls, and extending the time that charges can be laid from six months to two years. These changes will help local police respond to and prevent unsanctioned events such as car rallies and street racing while allowing more time to investigate, collect evidence and hold drivers accountable.

In May 2024, Ontario introduced the Safer Roads and Communities Act, 2024, which would, if passed, improve community safety and protect people and families from road users who engage in dangerous and illegal activities such as impaired driving, stunt driving and auto theft.

Quick Facts

VIN fraud often involves a person stealing a VIN from a legitimate car and using it to register a stolen one.
In response to a significant increase in commercial vehicle traffic, Ontario is also making highways safer by increasing oversight of the trucking industry. These changes will allow MTO to intervene earlier with additional compliance tools and approaches for commercial operators who engage in risky behaviour while driving.
As part of the Safer Roads and Communities Act, 2024, thieves convicted of motor vehicle theft under the Criminal Code would face a 10-year licence suspension for a first offence, a 15-year licence suspension for a second offence and a lifetime licence suspension for a third offence.
With combined efforts from government action and law enforcement, vehicle theft has decreased in Ontario by 16 per cent so far this year.

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New Data Shows Severity Of Canada’s Worsening Auto Theft Crisis

News Room — Sun, 19 May 2024 16:42:57 +0000

Canada’s auto theft crisis is showing no signs of slowing down, according to new data released by Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC). In 2023, the cost of insurance claims for replacing stolen vehicles in Canada skyrocketed to a record-breaking $1.5 billion. This marks the second year in a row auto theft claims costs have topped $1 billion. To put this into perspective, between 2018 and 2021, auto theft claims costs averaged $556 million annually.

“These numbers indicate that the auto theft crisis persists, disrupting the lives of Canadians and causing them concern and trauma. It places a heavy burden on law enforcement and courtroom personnel who work tirelessly to address these crimes,” said Liam McGuinty, Vice-President, Strategy, IBC. “Canada’s auto theft crisis is also placing pressure on drivers’ insurance premiums – as auto theft continues to increase, so do the associated costs. Auto theft is not a victimless crime.”

Between 2018 and 2023, auto theft claims costs have increased significantly across the country:

Nationally, auto theft claims costs increased by 254%.
In 2023, auto theft losses amounted to over $1.5 billion, an increase of nearly 20% from 2022 (the year that held the previous record).
The previous four-year national average, between 2018 and 2021, was $556 million.
The crisis is most significant in Ontario, where auto theft claims costs increased by 524% between 2018 and 2023, surpassing $1 billion for the first time in 2023. IBC will be releasing province-specific data on auto theft claims costs in the coming weeks.

Nationwide Auto Theft Insurance Claims

	Claims Count	Claims Costs
2018	31,915	$436,753,485
2019	32,504	$488,559,146
2020	28,714	$522,735,587
2021	34,038	$774,332,043
2022	45,434	$1,301,936,882
2023	49,679	$1,547,802,536
2018 to 2023 Increase	56 %	254 %
2022 to 2023 Increase	10 %	19 %

New, high-end luxury vehicles are often lucrative targets, due in part to their desirability in illegal international markets. In many cases, stolen vehicles are exported to these markets by domestic and international criminal organizations. The proceeds are then used to finance drug trafficking, arms dealing and international terrorism.

Despite important federal and provincial investments aimed at mitigating the crisis, this new data suggests more action must be taken to make vehicles more difficult to steal, transport and export. To that end, IBC has been calling for immediate action to stop stolen vehicles from being shipped overseas and to prevent vehicles from being stolen in the first place.

“Insurers have taken proactive steps to help consumers combat auto theft, but they can’t do it alone. We need a whole-of-society approach,” added McGuinty. “IBC recognizes the efforts undertaken by governments to date to fight auto theft, but more needs to be done, including at the national level. Attention needs to be paid to modernizing Canada’s outdated vehicle safety standards, which were last updated in 2007, and stopping the outflow of stolen vehicles from Canada’s ports. IBC and its members look forward to the important next steps anticipated in the federal government’s action plan to combat auto theft. Our industry remains committed to working alongside all levels of government and stakeholders to address the national auto theft crisis.”

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Ontario Taking Action To Combat Auto Theft

News Room — Fri, 24 Nov 2023 23:29:28 +0000

The Ontario government is investing $18 million over three years to help police services combat and prevent auto theft, while protecting communities and keeping people and their property safe. The Preventing Auto Thefts (PAT) grant will provide funding for 21 projects that feature new and enhanced crime-fighting measures focused on prevention, detection, analysis and enforcement.

“This investment will help our police services crack down on the growing problem of auto theft, dismantle organized crime networks and get these criminals off the streets and behind bars where they belong,” said Premier Doug Ford. “Our government is making the necessary investments so that our police officers have the tools they need to keep people and communities safe.”

Funding for police projects includes:

Acquiring specialized resources, including surveillance equipment, software and GPS tracking devices
Providing specialized training to police investigators to enhance skillsets specific to auto theft
Creating new units dedicated to auto theft, including cross-jurisdictional units that will serve more than one police service to break down silos and address organized criminal activity
Expanding data collection and analysis efforts to capture more metrics on the linkage to organized crime and other criminal activity
Fostering partnerships with organizations such as the Insurance Bureau of Canada and the Canadian Automobile Association, as well as local car dealerships to share information and resources and to help in the development of effective prevention strategies and public education campaigns.

“Every 14 minutes a vehicle is stolen in Ontario, and this investment will give police services the tools they need to successfully fight auto theft across the province,” said Solicitor General Michael Kerzner. “With increased efforts and tactics used by thieves and criminal networks, our government is staying one step ahead. This grant will enable police services to work with key partners to enhance knowledge and resources, improve investigations and gather evidence to hold criminals accountable.”

The PAT grant is one of several measures underway to fight auto theft. Earlier this year, Ontario announced the Organized Crime Towing and Auto Theft Team to help Police Services identify, disrupt and dismantle organized crime networks. In addition, the government also announced the creation of the Major Auto Theft Prosecution Response Team to help police prepare and prosecute complex cases. Ontario is also exploring opportunities to combat vehicle thefts by partnering with Canada Border Services Agency, Royal Canadian Mounted Police and shipping container and rail companies.

“Auto theft continues to be one of our most pressing issues that gravely impacts our community and its safety,” said Nishan Duraiappah, Chief of Peel Regional Police. “We continue to invest resources in enhancing investigative and enforcement capacity as we combat auto theft and disrupt organized groups that are responsible. We are pleased with the leadership and commitment the province has shown on the issue, and the funding provided through the Preventing Auto Thefts Grant will further support our ongoing efforts in our region.”

The PAT grant is one of the Ontario government’s community safety grant programs, providing funding opportunities for police services to work with local and provincial partners on safety priorities. All municipal, First Nations police services and Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) contract and non-contract locations were eligible to apply under the PAT grant through a competitive grant application process.

Quick Facts

From 2014 to 2021, there was a 72 per cent increase in auto theft across the province, and a 14 per cent increase in the last year alone.
Car thefts in Ontario have increased by 31 per cent in the first six months of 2023, when compared to the same period in 2022.
Thieves and criminal networks have specifically targeted the Greater Toronto Area:
- In Toronto, auto thefts increased 81 per cent from 2014 to 2021 and the city experienced a 78 per cent increase in violent carjackings from 2021 to 2022
- 5,077 vehicles were reported stolen in Toronto in the first half of 2023
- In Peel Region, carjackings have risen 45 per cent since 2021
- York Regional Police report an 82 per cent increase in auto theft when comparing the first half of 2023 to 2022.

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