More than 830 vehicles have been reported stolen in Ottawa in the first six months of 2024, with 10 per cent of all vehicle thefts in Gloucester-Southgate.
“We continue to see auto thefts across the city,” Ottawa Police Deputy Chief Steve Bell told the Ottawa Police Services Board.
Statistics on the Ottawa Police Service’s crime map shows 831 vehicles reported stolen in Ottawa since January 1.
Police reported 504 vehicles stolen in the first six months of 2023, and 387 vehicle thefts between Jan. 1 and June 30, 2022.
Bell told the board about a response to a vehicle theft in the south end earlier this month.
“In the early morning hours of a Monday morning earlier this month, we received a 9-1-1 call for a vehicle that had just been stolen from a residence in the south end of Ottawa,” Bell said Monday night.
“Officers responded and safely stopped the stolen vehicle and arrested one man. Officers also located a secondary vehicle involved in the thefts nearby where two additional men were arrested. In the secondary vehicle, police found specialized equipment used for the theft of vehicles.”
Three Montreal men were charged in connection to the stolen vehicle, according to Bell.
The statistics show at least one vehicle has been stolen in all 24 wards across Ottawa so far this year.
The ward of Gloucester-Southgate continues to be the hot spot for vehicle thefts in Ottawa, with 87 vehicles reported stolen since the start of the year.
Bay ward is second with 63 reported vehicle thefts, followed by 57 vehicles stolen in Rideau-Vanier and 45 vehicles stolen in both Beacon Hill-Cyrville and River wards.
Here is a look at the top 16 wards for reported vehicle thefts in the first six months of 2024
- Gloucester-Southgate: 87
- Bay: 63
- Rideau-Vanier: 57
- Beacon Hill-Cyrville: 45
- River: 45
- Alta Vista: 43
- Orléans East-Cumberland: 42
- Barrhaven West: 41
- Rideau-Rockcliffe: 41
- Somerset: 41
- College: 35
- Orléans South-Navan: 35
- Knoxdale-Merivale: 31
- Riverside South – Findlay Creek: 30
- Capital: 25
- Orléans West-Innes: 25