More than 700 vehicles have been reported stolen across Ottawa this year. Who can fix this?

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Theresa Kavanagh was recently out in her ward handing out signs to residents in hopes that it might curb a growing auto theft problem. The message on the signage was: “All valuables removed.”

Since the beginning of 2024, Ottawa’s Bay ward has had the second-highest reported number of stolen vehicles, with 59 including incidents of break-ins and joy-riding, a marked increase from 2023.

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“People know that this is a trend across the country, but we were surprised by the high numbers [in the ward],” said Kavanagh, city councillor for Ward 7 Bay.

More than 700 vehicles have been reported stolen across the city this year, according to the Ottawa Police Services’ interactive crime map.

Gloucester-Southgate Ward leads the list for vehicle theft so far in 2024 with 64 reports.

“At the end of the day, cases being identified by organized crimes are extremely lucrative and we need to actively get ourselves organized to address this,” says David Hill, the Ward 3 councillor for Barrhaven West.

Last year, Barhaven was the “hot spot”, with more than 180 reported vehicle thefts. This year, however, Barrhaven has seen a significant decrease, with only 38 theft reports in the Barraven West ward and 18 in Barrhaven East.

Hill attributes Barhavven’s reduced theft rates to increased collaboration with government stakeholders and the private sector, as well as increasing police presence.

“I spoke to a number of concerned residents about neighbourhood watch, so I think there’s more vigilance and awareness in the community,” he said.

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Despite the decrease in theft rates in his ward, Hill insists that auto theft remains a community problem that needs addressing at multiple government levels.

”This is a cross-jurisdictional issue, and part of the problem is that one level of government can’t solve this issue alone,” Hill said, calling for investments in proper scanning technologies at the Port of Montreal to ensure cargo legality and prevent the shipping of stolen goods overseas.

Hill also advocates for technological solutions at the manufacturer and insurance levels, such as air tags and auto shut-off technology.

All three levels of government are taking notice of the issue. The federal government announced earlier this week a three-pronged national action plan to combat organized crime groups involved in auto theft. The plan includes new criminal code offenses, 14-year maximum sentences instead of 10 for violent thefts, more intelligence sharing domestically and abroad, and heightened border inspections to decrease exports of stolen vehicles across the Canadian border.

In an attempt to combat auto theft in Ontario, Premier Doug Ford’s government proposed new legislation for convicted auto thieves: a 10-year license suspension for first offenses, and a lifetime suspension for third offenses.

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Police are also taking stronger action. Barrhaven West councillor Wilson Lo highlighted the recent operation at the Port of Montreal in April 2024 where nearly 600 stolen vehicles were recovered. Lo said he believes such operations send a strong message that the police are actively tackling auto theft concerns.

“Even though [auto theft] is not a crime against a person, you still feel violated when something of yours is stolen,” Lo said. “Incidents like these certainly shake your confidence in how safe you feel in your community and probably confidence in the police and political leaders.”

Lo said the federal government’s involvement is “obviously” very helpful given that many stolen cars are shipped overseas through the Port of Montreal. But he still advises his residents to take preventative measures.

“Put a club on your steering wheel, if you have to park it outside. Put your keys at the back of the house far away. And don’t leave any valuables in your car.”

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