Newer model, higher-priced SUVs and pickup trucks remain top targets for auto theft across Canada, a new report says, with criminals adapting amid efforts to crack down on their operations.
With more than 2,000 vehicles reported as stolen, the Toyota RAV4 was the type most sought by thieves last year, Équité Association said Tuesday.
The report cited the RAV4’s “high demand, global serviceability, and high resale value which maximizes criminal profits” as reasons for why it topped the insurance crime agency’s annual list of the 10 most stolen vehicles.
The rest of the list — with the exception of the Honda Civic, which ranked fifth with almost 1,800 vehicles stolen — was made up of other SUVs like the Honda CR-V and Jeep Wrangler, and pickup trucks such as the Dodge Ram and Ford F-150.
Two other Toyota vehicles, the Highlander SUV and Tundra pickup, also made the top 10, making the automaker the most represented on the list.
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The full top 10 list as reported by Équité:
- Toyota RAV4 — 2,080 thefts
- Dodge Ram 1500 Series — 2,018 thefts
- Honda CR-V — 1,911 thefts
- Ford F150 Series — 1,833 thefts
- Honda Civic — 1,797 thefts
- Jeep Wrangler — 1,491 thefts
- Chevrolet/GMC Silverado/Sierra 1500 Series — 1,192 thefts
- Toyota Highlander — 1,141 thefts
- Toyota Tundra — 1,129 thefts
- Lexus RX Series — 1,124 thefts
Combined, the top 10 list represents more than 15,700 stolen vehicles in 2024.
The report found 2020 or newer models were the most targeted across most of those vehicle types, with criminals exploiting modern keyless security vulnerabilities to get higher resale values.
There has been a particular spike in thefts of luxury vehicles, Équité found, with some Lexus and Mercedes-Benz models seeing the highest theft frequency, or percentage of thefts among vehicles owned and insured by Canadians.
Despite a 19-per cent drop in the number of vehicles stolen across Canada last year compared to 2023, Équité estimates auto thefts continue to cost Canadians over $1 billion in insurance claims annually.
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“It just shows you the kind of money (criminals) are after,” said Bryan Gast, national vice-president of investigative services at Equite, in an interview. “And they’re adapting — they’re not leaving the space.”
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One example of evolving criminal behaviour can be seen regionally, Gast said.
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Ontario and Quebec have seen higher rates of auto theft compared to other parts of Canada, with criminals there prioritizing newer, pricier vehicle models to be illegally exported for international resale.
That differs from Alberta, where Gast said older models are more frequently targeted for use in domestic crimes, then discarded. That accounts for the appearance of the 2006 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickup in the national top 10, according to the report.
Yet Gast noted thefts of newer models are increasing in Alberta as well, with criminals shipping them east by rail for export.
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“It just shows how these groups are focusing more on maximizing their payouts as law enforcement and government make auto theft riskier,” he said.
The federal government unveiled an action plan last year to crack down on auto theft amid an uptick of stolen vehicles, which reached record highs in 2023.
A progress update released last month by Public Safety Canada said the action plan has led to increased cargo searches by RCMP and the Canada Border Services Agency, and improved intelligence sharing and law enforcement cooperation between federal, provincial and municipal law enforcement and international partners.
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The CBSA has also begun sharing available import and export vehicle identification number data with agencies like Équité and Carfax, and is exploring technology options to improve screenings at ports and border crossings.
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As of May, CBSA has intercepted 666 stolen vehicles this year, the update said, after stopping 2,277 stolen autos in 2024.
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The latest statistics showing a drop in auto thefts shows the federal action plan is working, Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree said in a statement alongside last month’s update.
“We are encouraged by the progress made through the National Action Plan, and will continue to work with partners to strengthen our efforts,” CBSA President Erin O’Gorman added in the same press release.
Gast said the progress was encouraging, but more needs to be done to ensure criminals’ efforts to adapt aren’t successful.
“The worst thing we could do is say, OK, the problem is solved now and we can take our foot off the gas,” he said. “That’s where we would start to see a relapse. So we have to do exactly what we’re doing and more.”
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Insurers are pushing auto manufacturers to improve and modernize their security standards in order to prevent further thefts, Gast said.
As for vehicle owners themselves, he said Canadians should continue to park in secured garages when they can, and otherwise ensure they leave their vehicles in well-lit areas. Anti-theft devices like steering wheel or pedal locks and tracking devices are also recommended.
“Anything you can do to make your vehicle less of a target, when the criminal has to spend more time or defeat certain things that you’ve done, serves a good purpose,” he said.
“Organized crime groups, they’re not going away from this. It’s too high reward, low risk, and it’s a great funding mechanism … whether it be drugs or firearms that they’re acquiring with these funds, right down to funding terrorism. So it affects us all.”
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