Car theft rate down in first six months of 2024
The rate of vehicle theft fell slightly in the first half of 2024 in Canada, particularly in Quebec, where claims dropped by 41% over the same period, a sign that government measures are beginning to bear fruit.
In a report released on Wednesday, Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) notes that, despite a 19.4% drop in claims, the rate remains historically high. This rate represents some 17,647 vehicles at a cost of nearly $545 million, a historic threshold that has risen to 442% in a decade, according to the organization, which is calling on Ottawa and Quebec to continue the fight against auto theft.
“Although flight frequency has decreased slightly in the first six months of 2024, the problem remains well above historical trends,” Liam McGuinty, IBC's Vice President Strategy, said in a statement.
While Quebec and Ontario saw a drop of 41% and 16% respectively, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick saw an increase of 27% and 14% in the number of vehicle theft claims during the period under review.
These highly contrasting regional differences are attributed by experts to the level of resources invested in the police services responsible for combating this growing scourge, according to the insurers' association.
“Concerted action by law enforcement agencies, insurers, governments and drivers to combat theft is bearing fruit, but there's still a long way to go,” added McGuinty.
New, high-end and luxury vehicles continue to be the target of choice for thieves, says the report, which points out that stolen vehicles are exported to international underground markets by national and international criminal organizations.
