Ontario Police Services Call for Enhanced Enforcement Measures Against Auto Crimes at Auto Theft Summit 2024

Peel Regional Police along with the joint management team hosted the second annual Auto Theft Summit on March 20, 2024.

The joint management comprised of: Durham Regional Police Service (DRPS), Halton, Regional Police Service (HRPS), Hamilton Police Service (HPS), Niagara Regional Police Service (NRPS), Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), Toronto Police Service (TPS), York Regional Police (YRP), Criminal Intelligence Service of Ontario (CISO), and Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police (OACP).

The 2024 summit gathered over 150 stakeholders, building upon the advancements made since the inaugural 2023 Auto Theft Summit, which brought the stakeholders together for the first time to address the issue.

The aim of 2024’s Auto theft Summit was to delve into the innovative strategies and further enhance measures aimed at combating organized auto theft.

The summit serves as a collaborative platform for law enforcement agencies, government officials, auto manufacturers, and advocates to collectively address the challenges of auto crimes and identify the vulnerabilities contributing to their prevalence.

“Organized auto theft has become an epidemic across many jurisdictions in Ontario and it has escalated into a complex national issue, impacting the safety and well-being of our communities,” said Peel Regional Police Chief Nishan Duraiappah. “While we continue to dedicate significant policing resources and see positive results in the work, we also need solutions from the government, automotive and insurance industry to vulnerabilities that are contributing to auto theft.”

In 2023, the data collectively by the joint management team revealed that there is a 116% increase in stolen vehicles since 2019, out of which, 15,757 stolen vehicles were recovered valued at over half a billion dollars ($545 million).

A Provincial Car Jacking Task Force (PCJTF) has been established by the Ontario Police to address the rising number of violent incidents in auto theft. To this date, the PCJTF has filed over 730 criminal charges and retrieved more than 150 vehicles along with the confiscation of multiple firearms. Other than that, initiatives taken by CISO and OPP have yielded over 1400 criminal charges and over 900 vehicles retrieved.

“Organized auto theft is among the top three revenue generators for criminal organizations. It represents a growing and serious threat to public safety and puts police officers at risk as individuals committing these crimes are using increasingly dangerous ways to evade capture and eventual arrest. Our police services are working together with governments, community groups, and corporate partners to find effective solutions to this criminal activity” said Chief Jim MacSween, President, Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police.

Therefore, the Auto Theft Summit 2024 concluded with recommendations urging enhanced enforcement at affected ports of entry, targeted legislative measures and curbing organized crimes.

Navneet Kaur