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By rdnewsNOW staff

vehicle thefts

Auto thefts down 20% nationally in 2024, Alberta sees 10.1% drop year-over-year

Mar 8, 2025 | 11:13 AM

The Government of Canada is reporting progress to reduce auto theft across the country.

On Friday they announced that auto thefts decreased nearly 20 per cent nationally in 2024 after reaching historic levels in 2023, which is according to Équité Association’s recent trend report.

The report also states that Western Canada was down 12.7 per cent year-over-year, and the region also had the highest vehicle recovery rate at 77.4 per cent. Alberta auto theft decreased by 10.1 per cent year-over-year.

In addition, trucks were the most stolen vehicle type in Western Canada at 38 per cent. In Alberta, 42 per cent of all stolen private passenger vehicles were trucks.

In addition, auto theft happened almost equally across all ages of vehicles in Alberta with 30 per cent of vehicles stolen were made in 2003-2009, 27 per cent of vehicles stolen were made in 2010-2016m and 28 per cent of vehicles stolen were made in 2017 or newer.

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Alberta has also become a feeder province to register stolen and re-VINed vehicles to the rest of Canada.

The progress announced by the federal government was made under the National Action Plan on combatting auto theft.

“The downward trend we are seeing is promising, but we will not let our guard down,” said The Honourable David J. McGuinty, Minister of Public Safety. “We are ramping up the fight against organized crime and fentanyl trafficking, which we know has long been fueled by illicit proceeds from auto theft. These actions will help further the progress we’ve already made on auto theft, while strengthening our border and keeping our communities safe.”

According to Public Safety Canada, the National Action Plan on Combatting Auto Theft was launched in May 2024, which outlines actions focused on disrupting, dismantling and prosecuting the organized crime groups behind auto theft.

The Action Plan identifies various measures and initiatives that will be carried out by the federal government in cooperation with provincial and territorial governments and their partners, in accordance with their respective roles, priorities and responsibilities. It will be continuously reviewed and updated to be responsive to the evolving tactics employed by criminal networks.

“Every car that we can prevent from being stolen helps keep money out of the hands of organized crime and drug traffickers,” said The Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of Transport and Internal Trade. “Our approach is already having a positive impact and the work will continue to make vehicles much harder to steal.”

In an effort to continue this progress, the federal government is increasing their efforts in the fight against organized crime, fentanyl trafficking and money laundering, through its $1.3 billion Border Plan.

The government is also advancing solutions to make vehicles harder to steal. These solutions include:

• Engaging with provincial and territorial counterparts to address fraudulent vehicle registration and encourage full participation in the Interprovincial Record Exchange system.
• Collaborating with industry and law enforcement on the best approach to regulate radio devices used for auto theft and analyzing feedback on options submitted through public consultations.
• Working on next steps to modernize anti-theft protection and analyzing feedback received through public consultations.
• Strengthening financial intelligence to target money laundering linked to auto theft and stem the flow of illicit proceeds through enhanced collaboration between FINTRAC, regulated sectors and law enforcement.
• Joining INTERPOL’s Project Drive Out to combat transnational organized vehicle crime by enhancing intelligence sharing between law enforcement, member states and private industry.
• Completing targeted security assessments of high-risk port facilities.
• Delivering training on specialized investigative strategies at the Port of Montreal to enhance collaboration between Canadian law enforcement and INTERPOL member countries.
• Increasing Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) capacity to detect stolen vehicles at railyards in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).
• Announcing the government’s intention to amend the Criminal Code to strengthen bail and sentencing laws to respond to the severity of auto theft, break and enter, extortion, and arson crimes committed by repeat, violent, and organized crime offenders as part of the 2024 Fall Economic Statement.

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