A man watched television in Guelph, Ontario, around 4 am on Thursday morning when the police said they heard a noise outside his house.
He went out to see what was going on and discovered that someone left with his Toyota Tundra.
Man was not alone in his loss. Ten Tundras have been stolen from Guelph since November 1, while thieves have also taken a crack for stolen eight others, according to local police.
Ontario’s southern police services report similar crimes. The Waterloo region said there had been 12 Tundras flights and flights while Barrie has reported 10 flights since January 1.
“There are certainly trends that come and go, and criminals could target certain vehicles simply because they have a market for them,” said Amanda Dean, vice-president of Ontario and the Atlantic for the Canada insurance office.
But the police and representatives of the insurance industry say that the Tunds are not the only ones to be targeted by thieves.
Some Tundras disappeared in the new Tecumseth region in the last month while between January 23 and January 28, four trucks disappeared, including one tundra, two Dodge Rams and a Raptor Ford F-150.
“It is not necessarily specific to Tundras,” said the constancy of Nottawasaga OPP. MCKAYLA COTEY. “New luxury vehicles are targeted because they can provide higher profits.”
Cotey also said that more common vehicles were also stolen because they can be sold or used in the commission of other crimes. But Dean believes that a large part of the vehicles is getting out of the country.
Get national news
For news that has an impact on Canada and worldwide, register for the safeguarding of news alerts that are delivered to you directly when they occur.
“The vast majority are sent to markets abroad and sold or used in a way,” she said. “There is part of the vehicles that remain in the province and in the country.”
Association equity, a national organization focused on crime and insurance fraud, publishes an annual list of the most stolen cars in Canada. In 2023, he reported that the Toyota Highlander 2021 was the most stolen vehicle, with 3,414 flights reported.
The Dodge RAM finished second on the list with 3,078 vehicles reported. The first five were the Lexus RX series, the Honda Cr-V and the Toyota Rav-4.
The importance of Toyotas on the list is similar to what the police consider to Guelph.
“I do not know why the toyotas are particularly popular at the moment, but we have noted that the toyotas (and the related lexus vehicles) have been the most commonly stolen brands in Guelph in the past two years, when we Consider thefts that would be linked to organized crime, “Guelph police spokesperson Scott Tracey told Global News.
In a declaration to Global News, Toyota Canada noted that the problem of theft afflicts the entire automotive industry in Canada.
“This is a unique Canadian problem because it is a low risk / high -reward opportunity for organized crime groups operating in Canada,” the statement said. “Unfortunately, a higher demand from certain vehicles on foreign markets leads to an increase in targeting these vehicles by criminals in Canada.”
The company said it had adopted a several level approach to protect customers.
“We adapt the technology to a quick pace – throughout the life cycle of the vehicle – to quickly respond to the new methods and flight tools,” the press release said. “This approach includes the overhaul of vehicles to tighten access to critical systems and components, the deployment of new connected services such as our system of locker of stolen vehicles and the addition of new on -board technologies to combat electronic attacks against vehicles. “
Police have said that thieves use a wide variety of tactics to steal cars and trucks in Canada such as relay and reprogramming technology, hacking integrated diagnostics and identity fraud.
The relay and reprogramming technology seems to be the most widespread situation in Barrie and other areas.
“It would seem that cloning the ignition system and the reappearance is to know how they are stolen because many victims are still in possession of the two sets of keys,” noted a declaration from the Barrie police.
Although there are financial costs to be robbed of his vehicle, Dean says that the loss creates other problems for customers.
“”This has an impact on the mental state and the health of the consumer, “she said. “When you think about it, it’s a very stressful situation to go through this feeling of violation.”
Dean says that his group puts pressure on the federal government to ensure that border guards pay as close attention to the articles they leave the country when they enter the country.
Insurers said the majority of stolen vehicles were stimulated by two provinces – Ontario and Quebec – before floating from the country across the Port of Montreal. Two years ago, approximately 1.3 million shipping containers filled with goods, including 70% of Canada’s legal vehicle exports, brought the port, the port authorities said.
IBC also seeks to transport Canada to adjust its policy surrounding anti -theft technology.
“The last update of this legislation took place in 2007,” said Dean. “It is well before many technologies that we see in today’s cars. We need the rules and regulations to be tightened so that these things can be standard in vehicles. »»
She noted that the governments of Ontario and Quebec had tried to repress lately.
Although thieves will always seek means to steal vehicles, owners of countermeasures can take to protect their considerable investment.
“We encourage all the owners to park inside when possible or at least in a well -lit area. Make sure the doors and windows are closed and locked and use anti-theft devices such as a killing switch or brake locking to make vehicles more difficult to fly, “said Tracey.
Waterloo police also recommends obtaining a follow -up device for your vehicle. Such a device has recently been credited with having helped the Waterloo police to recover 20 vehicles stolen in Hamilton.
They also recently published a video in which a suspect postponed the snow from a truck window, then left after spotting a follow -up device.
Barrie police spokesperson also recommended, “adding a steering wheel locking device. Park another car in front of your truck and “pin” if you can. »»
* With Canadian press files