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Tips to Prevent Car Theft
There has been an increase in car thefts across Ontario and your vehicle could be the target of car theft. Local police departments offer car owners tips to help keep your car safe.
Criminals steal cars for different reasons. Some include:
- Reselling the vehicle or its parts - Thieves can repaint the car body and alter identification numbers and take the car out of province or country, or re-sell it to unsuspecting buyers. Cars can also be dismantled to sell parts separately.
- Committing other crimes - Thieves will use the stolen car to commit other robberies or bigger crimes like drive-by shootings and drug deals.
- Joy rides - They could be doing it for fun or as a means for transportation to get to another destination.
Steps to Secure Your Car
If you are not able to park your car in a locked/secure garage you should:
- Use a steering wheel locking device to deter theft
- Always lock your unattended car
- Never leave spare keys in your car
- Never leave spare keys outside of your home
- When not in use, place vehicle key fob inside a car key signal blocker to block cell signals
- Don't leave your car's smart key fob close to your front door if you park the car immediately outside of that, this can make it easy for crooks to press a device against your home door or window to steal the signal to break into your car
- Make sure you car has an alarm or install one if it doesn’t
- Consider installing a video surveillance system
- Invest in an aftermarket GPS tracker as it may assist in recovery of the vehicle if it’s stole
Push Start Button Breaking and Entry
Thieves are becoming more sophisticated as newer car models come out with more advanced technologies. Watch this video by the Halton Regional Peel Police to learn about how robbers reprogram and break into the push start buttons.
Video presented by: the Halton Regional Police.
What do I do if my car is stolen?
If your car or any of its parts are stolen, you should report it to the police right away. The police will need this information as soon as possible.
Make sure to keep a record of the following information stored in a safe place outside of our car because you will need it when making a stolen vehicle report:
- Year, make, model and colour of your car
- Vehicle identification number
- License plate number
- Photos of special markings like scratches, dents, or any other type of identifiable damage
Call the OPP toll-free anywhere in Ontario at 1-888-310-1122 to file a report. For people living in the Halton and Peel regions you can call 905-825-4777
If you witness a crime in progress or a dangerous situation, call 911 or get in touch with Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS). It’s best to let the police handle the situation since it can be dangerous to intervene yourself.
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Last updated:
November 3, 2022
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