Auto Thefts in Canada Continue to Decline, Report Finds
According to a new report from Équité Association, a non-profit anti-fraud group, auto thefts in Canada have continued to trend downward. The report, which collected car theft statistics from January to June 2026, found that the number of reported thefts during this period was 10% lower than in the same period last year.
The steepest decline in auto thefts was recorded in Alberta, with a 15.1% decrease in reported cases compared to the first half of 2025. The report suggests that auto theft in Canada is returning to “pre-crisis levels” before 2021, when the number of auto thefts increased significantly due to the pandemic-related shortage of new vehicles.
Bryan Gast, national vice president of intelligence and investigations at Équité Association, attributed the surge in auto thefts in 2021 to the pandemic, which encouraged organized crime groups to steal vehicles to meet global demand. While the decline in auto thefts is encouraging, Gast noted that luxury vehicles are still being targeted and the profits are being used to fund organized crime.
“It’s encouraging, but stakeholders have to continue doing what we’re doing because if we take our foot off the gas, criminals will see this as a very high reward, low-risk crime,” Gast said.
The report found that 20,759 vehicles were reported stolen in the first six months of 2026, compared to 23,093 in the same period last year. Atlantic Canada saw the smallest reduction in reported auto thefts, with a 4.1% decrease from 910 to 873 reported cases.
A recent survey conducted by Angus Reid, commissioned by Équité Association, found that despite the decline in reported auto thefts, nearly 80% of Canadians believe their vehicles’ anti-theft technology is not robust enough. The survey also found that 60% of Canadians support government-mandated anti-theft technology in new vehicles.
The federal government announced a national action plan in 2024 to combat organized crime groups behind auto thefts, which includes tougher penalties, increased inspections of shipping containers, and improved intelligence-sharing. While the strategy appears to be working, Canadians remain vulnerable to car theft rings and vehicle finance fraud, according to Équité Association’s report in February.
Article and image source: sootoday.com
