These are the most stolen vehicles in Canada in 2020 | CTV News

TORONTO – While Ford pickup trucks usually top the Canada Insurance Bureau’s annual ranking of most stolen vehicles in Canada, high-end SUVs have become the most desirable targets for thieves this year.

According to the IBC, which works with law enforcement and the Canada Border Services Agency to identify stolen vehicles, the 2018 Honda CR-V SUV is the most stolen vehicle in Canada so far in 2020.

It was followed by the 2017 Lexus RX350, 2017 Honda CR-V and 2018 Lexus RX350. Rounding out the top five was Ford’s 2018 F150 pickup.

Bryan Gast, national director of investigative services at IBC, said high-end SUVs have overtaken old model Ford pickups as the most targeted vehicles because thieves have developed new ways to bypass their security systems and access it.

“As technology advances, these vehicles, especially SUVs, are highly sought after,” he told CTVNews.ca in a telephone interview Tuesday. “Organized crime groups abroad are targeting these vehicles and are finding ways to bypass security systems.”

For example, Gast said the thieves were able to capture radio signals from a key fob and replicate it to gain electronic access to a vehicle.

“There are devices that can activate that device to capture the signal and clone it and start your vehicle without ever touching the original key,” he explained.

And while there are many reasons for vehicle theft, Gast said the IBC’s findings show a sharp increase in thefts related to organized crime and street racing.

According to the IBC, many high-end SUVs are stolen by organized crime groups to be sold to unsuspecting consumers in Canada or overseas for disassembly for parts.

In several of these cases, Gast said the vehicle identification number of the stolen vehicle is changed before it is sold.

In addition to organized crime operations, the IBC said street racing has also led to an increase in some vehicle thefts.

“There is a growing trend, especially during the pandemic, in dangerous activities such as street racing and illegal rallies for drifting events, providing a market for small and fast stolen vehicles,” the IBC said in a news release. .

Gast said these street racing events are “very concerning” for law enforcement, the insurance industry and most of the population because they can put public safety at risk.

“These are organized events. They are very serious. These vehicles are being modified significantly, “he said.” Our concern is that there are stolen vehicles, stolen parts contributing to these events.

THE 10 BEST MOST STOLEN VEHICLES IN CANADA IN 2020

• 2018 Honda CR-V 4DR AWD SUV

• 2017 Lexus RX350 / RX450H 4DR AWD SUV

• 2017 Honda CR-V 4DR SUV

• SUV Lexus RX350 / RX350L / RX450H / RX450HL 4DR AWD 2018

• 2018 Ford F150 4WD PU

• 2019 Honda CR-V 4DR AWD SUV

• 2018 Toyota Highlander 4DR 4WD SUV

• 2017 Toyota Highlander 4DR 4WD SUV

• Lexus SUV RX350 / RX350L / RX450H / RX450HL 4DR AWD 2019

• 2017 Dodge Ram 1500 4WD

Though high-end SUVs were the most desirable targets for thieves in general, Gast said the IBC has taken notice of some regional variations across the country.

For example, pickup trucks were still the most popular type of vehicle to steal in the West. In Alberta, the IBC said, Ford F-Series and Dodge Ram trucks were the most stolen vehicles in the province.

“These trucks are attractive to thieves, and the oil and gas companies have used them almost exclusively, which has brought a disproportionately large amount of them to the province,” the IBC said.

Gast added that the pre-2008 models of these pickup trucks are particularly attractive to thieves because they don’t come with ignition immobilizers, which are devices that can prevent people from hot-wiring them.

“This list differs from region to region,” he said. “Those big pickup trucks are still a very hot commodity.”

In Ontario, the IBC found that Lexus and Honda vehicles were stolen more often than not, with many of them destined for export by organized crime groups or used in street racing tracks.

In the “Project Seagull” police operation in Hamilton, for example, the IBC said high-end vehicles were being stolen and cut for parts that were then sold on the black market.

Finally, in Atlantic Canada, the IBC found that the Chevrolet Silverado was the most stolen vehicle in the region.

TIPS FOR PREVENTING THE THEFT OF VEHICLES

While Canadians who own one of the vehicles on the IBC’s annual list should take extra care to protect it from theft, Gast said all owners should be aware of the precautions they can take to avoid being a victim of theft.

“I think it’s really important to understand the different ways to protect the consumer,” he said. “Some of these can be as simple as common sense.”

Here are some tips from the IBC to protect your vehicle.

• Do not leave a key fob without a key inside a vehicle or unprotected at the main entrance to your home.

• Put a keyless remote in a protective box or bag that will block the radio frequency identification signal.

• Never leave a vehicle running while it is unattended.

• Park your vehicle in well-lit areas.

• Close all doors and windows when parked.

• Use a visible or audible device to warn thieves that the vehicle is protected.

• Install a tracking device that gives a signal to the police or a monitoring station in case of theft.

• If it doesn’t already have one, install a restraint device in your vehicle to prevent thieves from hot plugging it. These may include devices that require wireless ignition authentication or ignition, ignition, and fuel pump disabling devices.

• Consider using a steering wheel or brake pedal lock to ward off potential thieves.

• Do not leave personal information, such as insurance or property details, in the glove box when the vehicle is parked.