Auto thefts in Canada are down as a rule, with rates dropping close to 19% in 2024 as compared to the previous year. However, the number of stolen vehicles remains alarmingly high, according to the insurance crime watchdog Équité Association.
Unfortunately, Alberta is emerging as a hotspot for vehicle crime, with thieves shifting their focus from older trucks — often stolen for short-term criminal use — to newer, high-value vehicles intended for export.
Rising risks in Alberta
Équité Association reports that over 57,000 private passenger vehicles were stolen across Canada in 2024, down from more than 70,000 in 2023. The data includes household vehicles, including cars, trucks, vans, and SUVs, but does not include thefts of commercial vehicles.
Alberta now has the highest per capita vehicle theft rate in the country. A growing concern is the surge in “re-VINing,” where criminals replace a stolen vehicle’s identification number (VIN) with a fake one, making it harder to trace. The vehicle is then exported or used by organized crime groups.
This has driven Alberta’s stolen vehicle recovery rate down from 87% in 2022 and 85% in 2023 to just 77% in 2024. Nationally, the recovery rate was slightly under 60% last year, up from 56% in 2023.
Growing export trade of stolen vehicles
Authorities are tracking an increase in stolen Alberta vehicles being smuggled out through eastern ports, including the Port of Montreal. Organized crime networks are believed to be behind much of the auto theft trade. Auto theft, along with other insurance crimes, helps fund organized crime activities, including drug and firearm trafficking.
The federal government launched its National Auto Theft Action Plan in May 2024, initially focusing on Ontario and Quebec. The decline in auto thefts in other parts of the country is largely attributed to improved law-enforcement efforts under the national action plan, which increased co-ordination between police agencies, ramped up X-ray scanning of shipping containers at ports, and introduced stricter criminal penalties.
The most significant regional drop occurred in Quebec, where thefts fell from 15,000 in 2023 to 10,000 in 2024. In Ontario, auto thefts declined from 30,000 to just under 25,000.
The Atlantic provinces reported 2,000 stolen vehicles in both 2023 and 2024.
Meanwhile, auto thefts in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba fell by a combined 13%, totalling just over 20,000 stolen vehicles. Alberta alone saw a 10% decrease in thefts, which is a small improvement, but not enough to stop us from having the highest per-capita rate of vehicle theft in the country.
Protecting your vehicle from theft
In terms of preventing vehicle theft, Équité recommends using a common-sense, layered approach, which consists of four categories:
Category 1: Start simple
- Keep car doors locked at all times
- Never leave your keys in the ignition or leave it running (even when it’s cold)
- Close all windows completely before leaving your car
- Park in a well-lit area, and do not leave any valuables in sight
Category 2: Install anti-theft devices
- Audible alarms, steering column collars, steering wheel/brake pedal locks, on-board diagnostic (OBD) port locks, and brake and/or wheel locks are all examples
- Theft deterrent decals and identification markers in or on the vehicle work to deter thieves
Category 3: Install a vehicle immobilizer. Examples are:
- Smart keys
- Fuse cut-offs
- Kill switches
- Starter, ignition and fuel disablers
- Wireless ignition authentication
Category 4: Invest in a tracking system
High-tech tracking services install multiple devices in difficult-to-locate areas throughout your vehicle. If your vehicle is stolen, they will be able to find it right away.
Help reduce crime in your neighbourhood with a community watch group
Social media can be a tool for good, especially when it comes to reducing crime. Many Albertans are using strength in numbers to fight back against criminals. Communities have started neighbourhood block watch groups that employ the power of social media to both help warn their neighbours of suspicious activity as well as to post video taken from security devices to hopefully help police identify thieves. Community liaison officers often engage with these groups to hear what is going on, advise on the best steps, and provide additional essential communication.
Lane’s Insurance covers Alberta
At Lane’s Insurance, we are committed to helping drivers enjoy the lowest possible rates on auto insurance throughout Alberta. As a service-oriented company with multiple industry partnerships, we are able to provide highly competitive rates and value-added customer service. Contact us at our Calgary, Banff, Edmonton, or greater Alberta offices.
