If you drive a pick-up truck, SUV, or luxury car, you better keep a close eye on it.
According to a new report from Équité Association — a non-profit organization that helps Canadian insurance companies fight fraud — all of these high-end vehicles, regardless of manufacturer, are targets for car thieves.
“Not only does auto theft cost Canadians millions of dollars each year, the proceeds of this illegal activity also fund organized crime and terrorism, both domestically and internationally,” said Bryan Gast, vice president of investigative services at ÉquitĂ© Association, in a statement.
The organization says cities like Montreal are rich hunting grounds for organized auto theft crime rings that funnel stolen vehicles overseas to sell for profit.
The report, released on Monday, reveals the top 10 most stolen vehicles across the country in 2021.
So, who made the list in Quebec?
Coming in at number one is the Honda CR-V — 4.6% (2,917) of the 60,097 SUVs on the road were stolen.
The Ford F150 Series comes in second place with 391 (0.8%) stolen of the 47,936 being driven.
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How are these vehicles being stolen at such alarming rates?
Équité says car thieves are taking advantage of technology. One tactic is relay attacks, also known as keyless theft, which is when the thief uses a device that fools the vehicle into thinking its own remote key fob is nearby. This unlocks the car and allows the ignition to be started.
Another gambit is cloning your car’s keys through the on-board diagnostic port.
As for where these cars go when they’re stolen, ÉquitĂ© says they’re usually sent to the Port of Montreal, the country’s principal exit port for stolen vehicles, to be shipped overseas.
“Not only is auto theft costly, it places a burden on our criminal justice system and creates undue personal and financial hardship for Canadians who have been a victim of this type of crime,” reads the report.
Here’s the full list of the top 10 most stolen vehicles in the province:
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