Police, victims back federal car theft crackdown – Winnipeg Free Press

Amy Wang has been biking to work in -30 degrees Celsius since her car was stolen outside her home in Winnipeg on a freezing day last month.

His Toyota Hybrid was taken in an unusual way during the winter — he ran out to warm up the car before going to work, only to find it missing when he returned a short time later.

“I was surprised. I was so crazy,” Wang said. “I thought it had to be good. It happened within a couple of minutes.”

He is among the Canadians whose car was stolen. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who held a day-long summit in Ottawa on Thursday, said the federal government is considering tougher penalties for thieves.

For now, the fight is focused on organized crime thefts, which are on the rise alongside violent carjacking in Ontario, and the burgeoning market for stolen vehicles overseas.

Ottawa plans to ban devices thieves use to copy wireless signals to remotely enter keys.

Manitoba had one of the highest car theft rates in the country in 2022, according to police reports compiled by Statistics Canada.

The province had 436 burglaries per 100,000 residents, trailing only Saskatchewan (476) and Alberta (456).

“We welcome any move by the federal government to crack down on auto theft, particularly organized crime,” said Manitoba Justice Minister Matt Wiebe.

Thefts associated with organized crime do not occur to the same extent in Manitoba, but there is activity, Wiebe said.

He said the province, police agencies and other partners are working together to curb organized crime.

“We welcome any action by the federal government to crack down on auto theft, particularly organized crime.”– Matt Wiebe

The NDP government has introduced “unexplained wealth” legislation against organized criminals.

In Winnipeg, burglaries are often crimes of opportunity. In about 90 per cent of the claims, the vehicles were stolen with the owner's keys, says Manitoba Public Insurance.

Most of the time, it's an empty vehicle that's running, said Sgt. Winnipeg Police Officer Trevor Thompson stole the car.

“Sometimes cars are taken to be used in other crimes,” he said, noting that most stolen cars in Winnipeg are recovered.

After her car was taken on Jan. 15, Wang filed a report with the police and MPI. His car was later found in a rural area a few hours outside of Winnipeg and towed to the MPI lot.

Van is going through the appeals process, but will be without a car. He said prevention should be the guiding policy for governments.

Victim Morgan Kalita advocates for stricter punishment. His Chevrolet Trailblazer was stolen in Winnipeg on Feb. 1 at 8 a.m.

According to the WPS website, approximately 45 vehicles were stolen in the first week of February.

“I'm very upset because I need a car to go to work, take my children to school, get groceries,” said Kalyta.

Kalita, who reported the theft to the police and MPI, drove the rental car for almost a week. He doesn't have an SUV yet.

While Winnipeg is not in the same situation as Ontario, Winnipeg police are constantly monitoring trends, Thompson said.

Tougher penalties and new measures aimed at stopping car theft are always welcome by police authorities, he said.

According to the latest annual report, WPS received 3,749 vehicle theft reports in 2022, a 27 percent increase from 2021 and nearly 30 percent above the five-year average.

The clearance rate – for example, where levies are imposed – fell slightly to around four percent.

Thompson said cases become more difficult when evidence is lacking — for example, if there are no witnesses or video, or if a theft goes undetected for hours and the time frame cannot be narrowed down.

He said recovered vehicles are examined for evidence such as fingerprints by WPS or MPI depending on the circumstances.

Despite the increase in reported burglaries in 2022, Winnipeg's annual rate of 478 burglaries per 100,000 people was well below 2004, when the city had the highest rate in North America.

In the same year, the figure was 1,932, or about 9,000 car theft complaints, MPI data show.

The auto theft epidemic of the 1990s and early 2000s led to a provincial task force in Winnipeg and a deterrence strategy targeting a key group of chronic thieves under the age of 18.

During that period, several innocent people were killed due to the collision of stolen cars driven by teenagers.

In 2004, the annual value of stolen vehicles to MPI was approximately $40 million.

Chronic offenders have been tracked down by police and the province has made aftermarket immobilizers mandatory for dozens of frequently stolen vehicles.

Auto Steal rate decreased. According to the working group, in 2009 it was 76 percent lower than in 2004.

Additionally, Thompson said there are simple steps people can take to prevent their vehicles from being stolen. His biggest tip is to not leave keys in cars, especially when jogging.

“Avoid letting someone jump in and drive away,” he said.

Thompson also recommends using a steering lock anti-theft device.

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