CAA North & East Ontario partners with Ottawa Police Service in car theft education campaign

Car owners concerned with the alarming rate of vehicle theft across Ontario can use multiple strategies to keep their property safe, says CAA North & East Ontario in a new public awareness campaign.  

The education campaign, called “The keys are in your hands” aims to bring awareness about what the public can do to help slow or stop the trade of cars stolen using high-tech tactics.  

“A car is stolen every five minutes in Canada, which is an increase of 48.2% in Ontario over the past year. We know that every layer of government and every police association has this crisis on their radar,” says Jeff Walker, President and CEO of CAA North & East Ontario.  

“Consumers are bearing the brunt of the costs and inconvenience. By using a layered approach with multiple tools, vehicle owners can really take the wheel in slowing car theft in Ontario.”  

Some strategies, like locking your car or parking it in your garage, are achievable, although a 2023 CAA Insurance survey found that only 81% of Canadians lock their cars and a mere 34% use their garages.  

While those approaches are important, they should be just part of the methods car owners could use to protect themselves, says Staff Sergeant Cathy Brown of the Ottawa Police Service (OPS).  

“Organized crime gangs are using high-tech to steal cars. Consumers can use multiple high-tech tools, in combination with sensible precautions, to help stop car thefts. Pro-active and preventative measures are part of an overall effort nationally to stop car thefts from occurring,” she says.  

Some combinations include installing an aftermarket immobilizer as well as GPS tracking system; installing a relay port lock, GPS tracking system and using a steering wheel lock; always storing your key fob in an RFID wallet, parking in the garage and installing a security camera and motion detector light.    

As part of the education campaign, CAA North & East Ontario has created videos, articles and educational content to help car owners learn more about what they can do.