OTTAWA — The Liberal government is trying to curb auto theft by finding ways to ban devices commonly used to steal vehicles and considering tougher criminal penalties for perpetrators.
OTTAWA — The Liberal government is trying to curb auto theft by finding ways to ban devices commonly used in vehicle thefts and considering tougher criminal penalties for perpetrators.
The proposals were among the more concrete ideas that emerged from Thursday’s daylong summit aimed at combating the national scourge of auto theft.
Participating governments, local governments, law enforcement and private sector partners agreed that combating this problem is complex, has several potential remedies, and requires a whole-of-society approach.
They also promised to finalize and plan to unveil a plan in the coming weeks to tackle the phenomenon that affects thousands of Canadian families each year.
“The population growth in recent years is alarming,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said at the start of the rally.
He described how Canadian cars are showing up in places like Ghana and Nigeria, and said one family had their SUV stolen on three separate occasions.
“Organized crime is becoming more and more violent, and the overseas market for stolen cars is expanding.”
Prime Minister Trudeau accused the previous Conservative government of cutting spending on border security, making it difficult to prevent stolen vehicles from leaving the country.
And he took a sharp jab at his Conservative rival Pierre Poièvre, who has flooded the airwaves and social media with aggressive counterprogramming aimed at neutralizing the impact of Thursday’s rally.
“A catchy slogan won’t stop car theft. A two-minute YouTube video won’t stop organized crime,” Trudeau said.
“Crackdown on auto theft means bringing together law enforcement, border agencies, port authorities, automakers and insurance companies.”
Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne said the government would move to ban the import, sale and use of recommended tools such as Flipper Zero, which copy radio signals that allow remote keyless entry into vehicles. told.
“I think the overall message today is to the criminals, we will do everything in our power to disrupt your operations,” Champagne said at a news conference.
The company that makes Flipper Zero immediately responded, saying the item was “intended for security testing and development and we have taken the necessary precautions to ensure the device is not used for illicit purposes.”
According to the federal government, an estimated 90,000 vehicles are stolen in Canada each year, resulting in approximately $1 billion in losses for Canadian policyholders and taxpayers.
The report said organized crime groups are increasingly involved in car thefts, and the proceeds from these crimes are used to fund other illegal activities. Most stolen cars shipped overseas are destined for Africa and the Middle East.
On Wednesday, the government set aside $28 million in new funding to stop the export of stolen cars. It also recently committed $121 million to combat firearm and gang violence, including organized crime and auto theft, in Ontario.
Terry O’Brien, president of the Equite Association, a national non-profit that supports Canadian insurance companies, said the majority of car thefts occur in Ontario and Quebec, where cars are exported through the Port of Montreal. .
O’Brien said the funding and resources “will go a long way” in research, analysis and testing.
Federal officials said Canada has strong laws in place to combat auto theft at various stages of the crime, including possession of stolen property, trafficking and falsification of vehicle identification numbers.
The government says the criminal code also includes comprehensive measures targeting organized crime, including enhanced sentences for certain crimes and acts of violence such as assault with a weapon.
Still, Justice Minister Arif Virani on Thursday highlighted the need for a review of criminal law, focusing on the links with organized crime and car thieves, finding targeted, efficient and sensible improvements and not creating more problems than they solve. Recognized gender. .
RCMP Commissioner Mike Duhem said the keys are hurting the wallets of organized crime groups. He suggested a formal federal listing of such groups, similar to the existing list for terrorist organizations, as a possible tool.
Ontario Attorney General Michael Kerzner welcomed the prospect of tougher criminal penalties for car thieves.
“We want to stop this revolving door of people going out into the streets and doing the same thing over and over again,” he told the rally. “We want to lock them up, we want to keep them in prison.”
In a “statement of intent” released Thursday, participants acknowledged that combating auto theft “is no easy task” and committed to maintaining cooperation through the pan-Canadian dialogue.
Other federal actions planned include:
— Establishing better means of information sharing between local and railway police to identify and locate stolen vehicles before they reach port.
— Modernizing Canada’s motor vehicle safety standards to ensure they account for technological improvements to deter and prevent motor vehicle theft.
— Targeted assessment of port facilities to identify cargo handling vulnerabilities.
– Work with Canadian companies to develop innovative solutions to protect vehicles from theft.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 8, 2024.
Jim Bronskill, Canadian Press