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Technology is proving no barrier to many thieves who stole vehicles across Canada in 2021.

In fact, many of these thefts can occur at any time and even from your own driveway.

Équité Association and its investigative services team recently released the latest list of top 10 stolen vehicles across Canada.

An increasing number of car thieves are using technology to bypass security systems and electronically gain access to vehicles, an analysis from Équité has found.

Among the key auto theft trends Équité’s investigation team discovered were:

• A rise in electronic theft as more vehicles are equipped with advanced technology such as push-button starts
• Many high-end SUVs are being stolen by organized crime groups to be stripped down for parts or exported
• Stolen vehicles are given false vehicle identification numbers (VIN) and sold to unsuspecting consumers

“Regardless of the type of vehicle, auto theft is a serious threat to public safety and continues to affect our local communities coast to coast and crosses international borders,” said Bryan Gast, vice-president of investigative services at Équité. “The vehicles being stolen are commodity-based money laundering, where they’re being exchanged to fund organized crime and terrorism.”

This year the 2018 F-Series pick-up truck topped this year’s most-stolen vehicles list, climbing from the fifth spot in 2020 and unseating the 2018 Honda CR-V, which slid down to the second place. The 2005 Chevrolet Silverado Series, a new entry to the list, rounded out the top three.

Top 10 vehicles stolen

The most frequently stolen vehicles in Canada in 2021 are:

1. 2018 Ford F150/F250/F350/F450 Series
2. 2018 Honda CR-V Series
3. 2005 Chevrolet/GMC Silverado/Sierra 1500/2500/3500 Series
4. 2019 Dodge/Ram 1500/2500/3500 Series
5. 2017 Lexus RX350/RX450 Series
6. 2019 Honda Civic Series
7. 2019 Toyota Highlander Series
8. 2017 Chrysler/Dodge Town & Country/Grand Caravan/Caravan/Voyager
9. 2017 Toyota Corolla Series
10. 2018 Honda Accord Series

*Contains data licensed by the Insurance Bureau of Canada

The company also collected regional data. In Ontario, for example, a 2018 Lexus SUV RX Series topped the list with the 2019 Honda CR-V Series Sedan coming in second. The 2019 Honda Civic Series Sedan rounded out the top three.

According to Équité’s website, stolen vehicles cost everyone. It’s not just an insurance problem, it uses valuable resources and puts a strain on social services. Costs included fixing or replacing stolen vehicles, inflated health care, and treatment costs, and the legislative and judicial costs linked to detecting and penalizing fraudsters and thieves.

Tips to prevent auto theft

Even with today’s tech-savvy thieves, there are steps Canadians can take to help protect themselves from becoming a victim of auto theft:

• Don’t leave a keyless entry remote in a vehicle or unprotected at the front entrance of your home. Thieves can use wireless transmitters to intercept the signal, giving them access to the vehicle. Consider storing fobs in a protective box or bag in your home that blocks the radio frequency identification (RFID) signal.
• Install an immobilizing device that prevents thieves from bypassing the ignition or reprogramming the electronics through the onboard diagnostic port. This can include devices that require wireless ignition authentication or starter, ignition, and fuel pump disablers.
• Install a tracking device.

Founded in 2021, Équité Association is a not-for-profit company created to protect Canadians and contribute to a more equitable world by tackling insurance fraud and crime.

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