Everybody knows someone who has had their car stolen, and now we are all paying for it. For the last several years, there have been over a billion dollars in car theft claims annually nationwide, causing car insurance rates to rise by an average of 25 per cent. Various levels of government have kicked into high gear, so to speak, to combat car theft. 

The Canadian government has joined forces with the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) to track the cars leaving Canada. Since February, more than 1,500 vehicles that have been stolen from Canada have been identified around the world.

Premier Ford is also feeling the pressure to take a tough stance on auto theft because 50 per cent of all the cars stolen are from Ontario. The latest is a proposal for an automatic licence suspension of 10 years for anyone convicted of stealing a car and then 15 years for reoffenders. For law-abiding citizens that rely on their driver’s licence, this sounds like a good approach.  

The reality is that it is unlikely to make a dent in the problem.

There are many reasons that Canada has become a low-risk, high-reward haven for criminals that want our cars. Our borders are not secure, which makes for easy passage of stolen cargo across the pond, and when someone is eventually caught and convicted, the consequences are relatively minor because car theft is a property crime and deemed to be victimless.

These conditions have created an opening for organized crime to move in and profit from the sale of stolen vehicles. The thieves are smarter, more organized and have better technology than those who are trying to catch them. Car theft and money laundering have become a billion-dollar enterprise. 

Those who steal the cars are the most dispensable part of the operation. If one or 20 lose their licence, there are plenty more to take their place. 

Communities have felt the need to take their own precautions to protect their vehicles. Some have organized private security patrols, while other individuals have taken to installing disabling devices on their cars or anti-theft barriers on their driveways.  

This approach works on an individual or community level but doesn’t get to the crux of the matter because now the criminals have started to change their tactics. Cars are now being stolen in broad daylight from gas stations and mall parking lots. As long as there is a market for stolen cars, and an effective distribution method, we are still at risk.

The good news is that government agencies have started to share information and work together. The borders now have better security, and there are steps in place to start following the money. 

Although these are good steps, the goal is not just to stop the car theft but to disrupt the criminal enterprise that has been allowed to flourish. The intelligence gathering needs to be more sophisticated and get ahead of those who are undermining our security; otherwise, it is like trying to stop a storm by shouting at the clouds.  

Although the government is doing something, it is not really making a difference.