Achi news desk-
Police are calling on the federal government to create a “national action plan” to combat car theft as it becomes increasingly violent, raising concerns at the Annual Car Theft Summit in Peel Region.
“The nature of these car thefts, as we’ve seen now, is shifting to things like home invasions, carjackings and the use of illegal firearms,” ​​said Nishan Duraiappah, Chief of Police for Peel Regional Police.
Peel Region is now considered the car theft capital of Canada, causing concern for Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown.
“Because the money at stake is north of $1.2 billion, criminal organizations go to extreme lengths to seize this,” Brown said.
More than 150 representatives from across the Greater Toronto Area and Hamilton, including law enforcement agencies, insurance officials, car manufacturers, and car dealers, took part in the gathering to address the surge in thefts there are
According to joint data from Ontario’s major police forces, there has been a 116 per cent increase in stolen vehicles since 2019.
Officers are trying to show that they are making progress. In the same time frame, they recovered more than 15,000 vehicles valued at $545 million.
However, officials want more enforcement and screening at Canada’s major ports, particularly in Montreal, Quebec, where police say many vehicles end up stolen.
“Of the cars that are stolen in Ontario, 80 percent are supposed to be exported,” said Chief Duraiappah.
According to police, thieves target Peel Region because they can get away quickly on the highway system to leave the GTA.
Last year, 7,400 vehicles were stolen in Peel Region alone, an average of 617 monthly thefts. The combined data also shows that there have been 185 carjackings in the past year.
There are also calls for tougher penalties for car theft as there are concerns that many are involved in organized crime, and they are repeat offenders who get bail or don’t spend much time in prison.
“Repeat violent offenders are part of this criminal market, and they endanger officers, and they endanger the public,” said Ontario Provincial Police Commissioner Thomas Carrique.
According to Consumer Reports (CR), in order to reduce car theft, they advise car owners not to leave valuables that can be easily seen in their vehicle, park in a well-lit area to make the car less target, using steering wheel locks and anti-theft systems to act as a deterrent. Adding a security camera and motion-sensitive flood lights to your home can also help.
“Simply having a light that turns on automatically if anyone approaches your garage can be effective in scaring off potential burglars,” says Jeff Bartlett with CR.
