Vehicle thefts have increased by nearly 45% in 2022, according to Global News.
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International criminal networks are targeting Canada, particularly the city of Toronto.
The number of car thefts has risen from 6,518 in 2021 to 9,439 last year, according to police. That’s an increase of 44.8%, making it the second most common crime in the city behind the crime of assault.
According to information from “Global News”, numerous thefts are organized abroad, which makes the work of the authorities considerably more difficult.
A Toronto City Councilman, Mike Colle, has set up a task force to investigate the problem of vehicle theft. He believes the real problem is the ease with which vehicles can be exported from Canada.
“It goes well beyond Toronto’s borders,” he said.
Montreal is no exception
Statistics from the Canada Border Services Agency back up the councilor’s claims. At the Port of Montreal, the number of stolen vehicles intercepted rose from 222 in 2016 to 1,020 in 2021.
The vice president of the Equity Association, the investigative arm of Canada’s insurance bureau, Bryan Gast, pointed out that the problem is particularly acute in Quebec and Alberta.
“We are now reaching a point where we are the country most affected by stolen vehicles in the world,” he added. Other countries are targeting Canadian vehicles to steal and export them.”
Bryan Gast argues that a vehicle that typically sells for $100,000 in Canada can fetch as much as $250,000 in West Africa. According to Interpol, these sums can then be used to finance criminal organizations.
Some foreign criminals don’t even seem to want to cover up their activities. In fact, a quick search on Jiji, an online marketplace in Nigeria similar to Canada’s Kijiji, found an ad for a Ford Focus that still had its Ontario license plate.
“It is important that the federal government and Ontario take the situation seriously,” said Mike Colle. But so far they have been disinterested.”