According to a new Équité Association report, there were fewer auto thefts in the first half of this year in Canada than there were a year ago. The insurance crime and fraud prevention industry group reported 23,094 private passenger vehicle thefts in the first six months of this year, a 19% decrease from 2024. Terri O’Brien, president and CEO of Équité, stated, “Canada is a safer place today than it was at the height of the auto theft crisis.” The report continues by praising actions taken by all levels of government, law enforcement, and the insurance industry, claiming that they contributed to the decrease. According to the report, there was a 25.9% and 22% drop in auto theft in Ontario and Quebec, respectively. Équité notes that these two provinces had some of the highest rates between 2021 and 2023. However, some provinces saw smaller drops, with Atlantic Canada experiencing a 9% drop and Western Canada experiencing a 9.4% drop. Équité’s numbers are consistent with a recent Statistics Canada report from last week, which noted a 17% decrease in the rate of motor vehicle theft since 2023. The report did specify that the theft of automobiles decreased by 12.5 percent in Alberta. That decrease came after a three-year rise in car thefts reported by the police. The federal government held a national summit on auto theft last year and published a plan to address the issue, including providing $28 million to the Canada Border Services Agency to address the rising rates. According to Bryan Gast, Équité’s national vice-president of investigative services, “Canadians have endured the significant impacts of vehicle crime, and while these first half of 2025 numbers are encouraging, the fight is far from over.” For the first half of the year, the national recovery rate was 56.5 percent, up from 53.1% the previous year. However, 44% of stolen vehicles nationwide will remain undiscovered in 2025. According to Gast, the author of the report, auto thieves “continue to evolve their tactics,” such as stealing vehicles intended for “chop shops” or employing re-VINs. According to Équité, a re-VIN is when the original vehicle identification number (VIN) is swapped out for a new, bogus number that can aid in illegal resale or export. Équité also suggests the uncertainty created by continued automotive and steel tariffs currently imposed by the U.S. could result in the automotive market for used and after-market parts becoming more lucrative for criminals.
Auto theft in Canada fell 19% in 1st half of 2025, industry group says
