Police board pleas for more screening at Canadian ports to fight surge in auto thefts in Mississauga, Brampton and across Ontario
Published February 26, 2024 at 3:36 pm
Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown is renewing a call for enhanced security and screening at Canadian ports as Peel police gear up for their second-annual summit to tackle an ever-increasing number of auto thefts.
The Peel Police Services Board (PPSB) held its monthly meeting last Friday and saw a motion from Brown urging the federal government to do more to stop the export of stolen vehicles.
Mississauga and Brampton have seen a record number of vehicle thefts in recent years, with at least 7,500 stolen autos reported according to Peel Regional Police. Brown has been outspoken about the need for more action to curb thefts, which police say can be a revenue tool for organized crime rings.
And while Peel police are set to hold another auto theft summit next month bringing together vehicle manufacturers, law enforcement officials and auto industry insiders, Brown says its up to the feds to prevent stolen vehicles from leaving the country “a national crisis.”
Brown and the police board are now calling on Ottawa to provide funding and install “advanced container scanning technology” at Canadian ports of entry and intermodal container facilities by the end of the year, with Brown calling auto thefts linked to organized crime
“I have been outspoken on the need for the federal government to devote the necessary resources to address this serious issue,” Brown said in a statement.
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Police say stolen vehicles can be used as a revenue tool for crime groups, either being traded as currency or used in crimes before being ditched or destroyed. Some end up shipped overseas, with police aware of used car lots in countries like Ghana which appear to be selling stolen vehicles from Ontario.
And even when investigators are able to locate a stolen auto overseas, the cost of shipping the vehicles back to their rightful owners can cost upwards of $30,000, posing a significant roadblock for police.
The feds held their own auto theft summit earlier this month, with Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne saying Canada will move to ban the import, sale and use of preferred auto theft tools for copying the wireless signals that allow remote keyless entry to vehicles.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau blamed the previous Conservative government for slashing spending on border security, making it harder to prevent stolen vehicles from leaving the country. He also took a shot at Conservative rival Pierre Poilievre, who has promised a “jail not bail” plan and minimum mandatory sentences.
On top of repeated calls to step up security and screening at ports, Mayor Brown has also called on Ottawa to recall the 10 most stolen models of vehicles in Canada and launched a pilot program to give thousands of Brampton car owners of free Faraday bags – a signal-blocking pouch that can prevent thieves from copying your vehicle’s keyfob.
The second-annual Peel Auto Theft Summit runs on March 20 in Mississauga.
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