Efforts to crack down on auto thefts have led to a 30% decrease in stolen vehicles in York region so far this year.
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But York Regional Police (YRP) say thieves still managed to drive off with more than 2,500 vehicles in a 10-month period.
The latest effort dubbed Operation Auto Guard 2.0 – a follow-up to last fall’s Operation Auto Guard – focused on combating auto theft in the south end of York Region over six weeks beginning in October.
“This operation, along with many other operations led by YRP in 2023 and 2024, have made a significant impact on the number of auto thefts in York Region,” police said in a statement released Wednesday.
As of Oct. 31, police said 2,732 vehicles had been stolen so far this year in York Region – down from 3,902 over the same 10-month period in 2023.
“Building on the success of the initial operation, Auto Guard 2.0 once again incorporated a multi-pronged approach that included enforcement, active community engagement and proven crime prevention strategies,” police said.
“Auto Guard 2.0 leveraged a data-driven approach to identify hot spots for vehicle theft,” police explained. “Those areas then became the focus of both enforcement and crime prevention efforts.”
Police said officers were then deployed into those neighbourhoods to provide crime prevention tips to residents, a strategy York cops plan to continue into the spring of 2025.
Officers have handed out more than 7,000 Faraday bags, which block signal-duplicating devices from replicating key fobs, to drivers as well as 10,000 information cards – available in multiple languages at yrp.ca/autoguard –recommending six steps to prevent auto theft.
“Operation Auto Guard 2.0 focused on disrupting organized crime groups who steal vehicles with the intention of shipping them offshore,” police said. “It led to the recovery of 15 vehicles worth approximately $487,000, with 17 people facing 127 charges.”
“Of the 17 arrested parties, two were youths breaching Youth Criminal Justice sentencing and nine were adults breaching a probation or release order,” police added.
Police said Operation Auto Guard 2.0 was made possible through funding provided by the Ontario Government’s Ministry of the Solicitor General.
“We recognize the need for multiple strategies across all levels of government, law enforcement, community agencies and our citizens to end auto theft,” police said. “We continue to work with other police services in joint-forces operations across the GTA and organizations like Équité, Aviva Insurance and the Canada Border Services Agency, as well as leveraging community engagement to enhance our strategy.”