Collective efforts result in improved 2024 auto theft trends, but continued efforts needed to maintain momentum: Équité Association’s 2024 Auto Theft Trend Report
Toronto, ON (Feb. 19, 2025) – Équité Association is pleased to announce the release of its 2024 Auto Theft Trend Report, revealing a continued national decrease in vehicle theft following years of historic highs. The 18.6% year-over-year decline in auto theft nationwide is attributed to the collective efforts and meaningful actions taken by key stakeholders throughout the year. Nationally, over 57,000 private passenger vehicles were stolen in 2024, which is still unreasonably high, posing an ongoing safety threat to all Canadians.
Auto theft decreases were seen most significantly in Quebec (-32.4%), Ontario (-17.4%) and Western Canada (-12.7%). The national recovery rate for stolen vehicles is 59.3%, with 40% of stolen vehicles still unrecovered. For trends analysis and regional breakdowns, access the full 2024 Auto Theft Trend Report.
“2024 was a milestone year in the fight against auto theft in Canada,” said Terri O’Brien, President and Chief Executive Officer of Équité Association. “Équité’s team of experts collaborated with provincial and federal governments, Canadian Border Services Agency, and law enforcement agencies at all levels to continue the downward trend. Momentum is on our side to disrupt criminal networks from profiting off insurance fraud, as we work on behalf of our industry members to prevent vehicle theft in Canada.”
“Organized crime networks are being funded through insurance crime and auto theft,” said Bryan Gast, Vice President of Investigative Services at Équité Association. “Our investigative teams work closely with national and international law enforcement agencies, enable industry collaboration and provide cutting-edge intelligence to combat insurance crime. However, the single most impactful step we can take to prevent the continued funding of organized crime networks, including drug trafficking, remains making the vehicles harder to steal in the first place.”
Équité Association and its members remain committed to working with all stakeholders to end auto theft in Canada and protect the safety and security of all Canadians.
Executive Summary
Équité Association is pleased to announce that collective efforts have resulted in a national auto theft decrease of 18.6% in 2024 (57,359), for private passenger vehicles, when compared to the previous year. Leading up to this, the auto theft crisis in Canada reached historic highs, escalating from stolen vehicles in 2021 (53,382), to 2022 (70,082) and 2023 (70,475).
In 2024, Équité worked closely with federal and provincial governments and law enforcement to share actionable solutions and create awareness around the issues of auto theft in an effort to protect Canadians. The National Action Plan on Combatting Auto Theft underscored the government’s commitment to combat serious and organized crime, by providing coordinated, actionable solutions to take down auto theft and protect Canadians at local, national and international levels.
Nationally, over 57,000 vehicles were stolen in 2024, which is still unreasonably high and poses an ongoing safety threat to all Canadians. Organized crime is actively working to find vulnerabilities that allow them to launder money through insurance crimes, primarily to fund drug trafficking. Insurance crime, including auto theft, is a main funding mechanism for drug trafficking by organized crime in Canada. In December 2024, to target transnational organized crime and fentanyl trafficking, the federal government invested $1.3 billion to bolster security at the border and keep Canadians safe.
The next most impactful step for preventing auto theft is to make vehicles more difficult to steal in the first place. Transport Canada is expected to release measures in 2025 that will potentially mandate auto manufacturers to modernize safety devices for auto theft prevention.
While meaningful actions and investments from provincial and federal governments, and law enforcement agencies resulted in a national decrease in auto theft in 2024, continued commitment to work towards prevention is required to maintain this momentum.
This report aims to provide key stakeholders the information and insight to support a collective and collaborative approach to ending auto theft for Canadians.
Read the full report: Équité Association 2024 Auto Theft Trend Report
About Équité Association
As the national authority on insurance crime and fraud prevention, Équité Association is a not-for-profit, national organization, supporting Canadian property and casualty (P&C) insurers. Équité combats the insurance crime problem that takes advantage of vulnerable Canadians by deploying advanced analytics, intelligence best practices, and coordinated investigations. Delivering improved service and fraud analytics for vehicle, property, and cargo recovery to its members, Équité collaborates with law enforcement, partners and industry organizations to protect Canadians against exploitation. For more information, visit www.equiteassociation.com.
SOURCE: Équité Association
Tags: Équité Association, vehicle theft
