(Montreal) The rate of auto theft in Canada fell slightly in the first half of 2024, but remains one of the highest on record.
Posted at 4:43 p.m.
Data released by the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) indicates a 19% decrease in insurance claims for automobile theft for the first half of 2024, compared to last year.
The 2024 rate, representing some 17,647 vehicles, still shows an increase of 138% since 2014. In terms of application costs, the increase is 442%.
Actions “by law enforcement agencies, insurers, governments and drivers to combat theft are paying off, but there is still more to be done,” noted Liam McGuinty, vice president of strategy at BAC.
It adds that “even though the frequency of flights has decreased slightly during the first six months of 2024, the problem remains well above historical trends.”
The group’s data also indicates provincial differences. While Quebec and Ontario saw decreases of 41% and 16% respectively, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick saw increases of 27% and 16%.
According to the BAC, experts attribute these regional differences to the extent of resources made available by police services to combat auto theft.
New, high-end and luxury vehicles continue to be a prime target for thieves, the report said. In 2023, the value of claims for these thefts reached 1.5 billion, a first in the country.
Stolen cars are often sold by national and international criminal organizations to finance drug and arms trafficking, or even terrorism.
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