York police’s seven-week initiative targeting auto theft has resulted in several arrests and the recovery of vehicles worth more than $5 million.
Launched in September, Operation Auto Guard resulted in 56 people charged with 294 arrests, police said in a news release issued today. Eighty vehicles were recovered, worth more than $5 million and theft devices used by thieves were also seized.
Police say auto theft has increased in York Region more than 200 per cent over the last five years. As of December 4, 4,294 vehicles have been stolen in York Region, compared to 3,187 in 2022. Thieves operate across the region, the Greater Toronto Area, Ontario and Canada, in organized crime groups, stealing the vehicles then shipping them overseas. The cost of these thefts is estimated to be more than $1 billion across the country.
Operation Auto Guard was data driven and intelligence led, with crime analysts creating heat maps identifying specific neighbourhoods prone to vehicle thefts in the Cities of Markham, Richmond and Vaughan.
Police were able to identify residences in these red zones with high-risk vehicles registered to their owners. This allowed police to approach homeowners directly, letting them know they are at risk of having their vehicles stolen, offering them safety tips and giving them the opportunity to take an active role in crime prevention.
York’s focus on crime prevention included having police officers from Auxiliary, Community Services and Community Oriented Response Units fan out across these neighbourhoods, handing out cards with crime prevention tips in multiple languages and giving away more than 24,000 Faraday bags, used to block the signal-duplicating devices that replicate key fobs. Officers also distributed Faraday bags when conducting traffic stops and while attending various community forums and events.
During the operation, police attended more than 100 locations, where they educated citizens on auto thefts and how to prevent them and protect themselves, including at town hall community forums, religious institutions, malls, parking lots and car dealerships.
“We recognize we need multiple strategies across all levels of government, law enforcement, community agencies and our citizens to end auto thefts,” said Chief Jim MacSween. “Congratulations to the many officers and civilian police professionals who contributed to the success of Operation Auto Guard.”
