Around 17,000 Cars Stolen In York Region And Toronto Last Year, Most Shipped To Africa, Middle East

Last year, organized Crime Groups stole 5,000 vehicles in York Region in Canada, compared to 3,187 in 2022.

Since September, 80 vehicles worth more than $5 million were recovered while theft devices used by thieves were also seized.

Vehicle thefts in Toronto reached 11,765 vehicles (+25%), according to Toronto police’s major crimes Indicator Dashboard.

Police says cars stolen across the region, the Greater Toronto Area, Ontario and Canada, were shipped overseas.

The cost of these thefts is estimated to be more than $1 billion (approx. ₦1 Trillion NGN) across the country.

York Regional Police (YRP), the third largest police service in Ontario, Canada, says around 5,000 cars were lost in the region last year, which is a significant jump from 2018’s average of 800 cars a year.

Speaking to CP24, Detective Sergeant Pat Smyth, with York Regional Police’s car theft unit, said “that just tells you the current climate that we’re in [it’s] just increasing all the time.”

According the York Regional Police’s car theft unit, auto theft has increased in the region more than 200 per cent over the last five years. Most of the vehicles stolen in Canada were reportedly shipped to Africa or the Middle East.

“As of December 4, 2023, 4,294 vehicles have been stolen in York Region, compared to 3,187 in 2022. Thieves operate across the region, the Greater Toronto Area, Ontario and Canada, in organized crime groups, stealing the vehicles then shipping them overseas. The cost of these thefts is estimated to be more than $1 billion across the country.”

Since it launched “Operation Auto Guard” in September last year, the unit says it has charged 56 people with 284 offences. In addition, eighty (80) vehicles worth more than $5 million were recovered while theft devices used by thieves were also seized.

While over 5,000 car thefts were recorded in York Region last year, vehicle thefts in Toronto were up some 25.4 per cent over 2022. According to Toronto police’s major crimes Indicator Dashboard, more than 11,765 thefts were recorded last in 2023.

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