Équité Association Releases Annual List of the Top 10 Most Stolen Vehicles in Canada

Is your car on a thief’s shopping list?

For the first time, Équité also announces the Top 10 Least Stolen Vehicles in Canada

Toronto, ON (Nov. 14, 2023) – Équité Association, a not-for-profit working to eradicate insurance crime on behalf of the Canadian property and casualty (P&C) insurance industry, has released its annual Top 10 Most Stolen Vehicles in Canada. The #1 most stolen vehicle in Canada of 2022 was the Honda CR-V, for the second year in a row.

Notably, nine of the most popular model years stolen are 2019 or newer as criminals aim to maximize their profits by stealing newer vehicles to sell overseas or by re-VINing them to deceive unsuspecting Canadian buyers domestically.

Auto thefts in 2022 reached historical highs, with Ontario increasing by 48% and Quebec up 50%, putting Canada in the spotlight internationally as a source country for illegal trade. Vehicles are being stolen by both domestic and international criminal organizations, with proceeds funding domestic drug trafficking, and international terrorism.

“Canadians expect to see a collaborative approach to combatting this urgent and continuing national auto theft crisis,” said Terri O’Brien, President & CEO of Équité Association. “On behalf of our insurance industry members, we will continue to provide information and recommendations to curb the rising trends in auto theft, and keep Canadians safe from the impact of organized crime. This problem will not be fixed in isolation; we need meaningful change and collaborative solutions adopted by auto manufacturers, all levels of government, and law enforcement.”

To provide further context for the rising trend of auto theft in Canada, Équité has released two new lists: Top 10 Least Stolen Vehicles in Canada and Top 10 Most Stolen Vehicles in Canada – Theft Frequency (ranked by how frequent the make/model is stolen, when compared to how many of the respective make/model are insured).

“The auto theft problem in our country is only getting worse,” said Bryan Gast, VP, Investigative Services at Équité Association. “Organized crime continues to look to Canada as a source nation for stolen vehicles where the financial reward is high and the risk of prosecution is low. We continue to work with partners and stakeholders to provide expert vehicle examinations, expertise in insurance crime investigations and to share intelligence and analytics to predict and prevent insurance crimes.”

Canadians who are considering purchasing a vehicle should consult Équité’s Most Stolen Vehicles list and inquire with their insurer if the vehicle is at high risk for theft. Canadians may also want to consider investing in a vehicle immobilizer or other theft deterrent methods. However, always verify with the vehicle’s manufacturer to ensure that any enhancements do not void the manufacturer’s warranty.

For the full list or regional breakdowns, visit www.equiteassociation.com/top-10-stolen-vehicles.

About Équité Association

As a not-for-profit, national organization, Équité Association supports Canadian insurers to fight fraud by using advanced analytics, intelligence best practices, and coordinated investigations. Combining expert investigative services and advanced analytics, Équité serves as a unified organization, delivering improved service and fraud analytics for vehicle, property, and cargo recovery. Leveraging relationships with law enforcement, partners and industry organizations, Équité serves as a centre point for insurance crime across all insurers, and is protecting Canadians by working to eradicate insurance fraud and crime. Équité, is invested in diminishing crime in Canada, and protecting all Canadians against exploitation. For more information, visit www.equiteassociation.com.

SOURCE: Équité Association

Tags: Équité Association, vehicle theft