Gone for good: Newmarket, York Region sees rise in auto theft

Newmarket has experienced its worst period for permanently stolen vehicles in two decades.

Between 2022 and 2023, Newmarket saw its most combined stolen passenger motor vehicles in a two-year span since 2003 and 2004. This is based on data from the Ontario Ministry of Transportation on vehicles considered permanently stolen, obtained by Village Media. 

With data going back to 2003, Newmarket had more passenger motor vehicles stolen in 2022 and 2023 than any other year prior to 2005. 

In 2022, there were 66 reported stolen passenger motor vehicles in Newmarket, and in 2023, there were 58. Over the past 22 years, there were only more reported stolen passenger vehicles in Newmarket in 2003, 76, and 2004, 70.

There were 179 motor vehicles reported as permanently stolen in Newmarket between Nov. 1, 2021 and Jan. 19, 2024. Over that span, the most permanently stolen vehicles in Newmarket were the Honda CR-V (14), Ram 1500 (12), Toyota Highlander (11), Ford F-150 (8), and Lexus RX (5).

A permanently stolen vehicle is when the owners accept they will never see their car again, files an insurance claim, and reports the loss of ownership to the Ministry of Transportation. However, Newmarket is seeing fewer stolen passenger motor vehicles than the provincial average.

Using data based on the first three characters of postal codes, Newmarket area postal codes have a vehicle theft rate of 2.16 per 1,000 in the L3Y postal code area and a rate of 1.88 per 1,000 in the L3X postal code area. The provincial average is 2.84.

In surrounding areas, the rate is similarly lower than the provincial rate. In Aurora, the L4G postal code area, the rate is 1.85 and in East Gwillimbury, the L9N postal code area, the rate is 1.94. In nearby Bradford West Gwillimbury, the L3Z postal code area, the rate spikes up to 3.55.

While motor vehicle theft is at a lower rate in Newmarket, the data shows that it has increased in recent years.

This comes as motor vehicle theft continues to rise across Canada, with Interpol recently naming Canada as one of the world's biggest source countries for stolen vehicles, which are sold on the black market to help fund international organized crime.

The increase in auto theft has become a big issue in Canada, so much so that a National Summit on Combatting Auto Theft will be held Feb. 8 in Ottawa to bring together leaders from key jurisdictions and sectors to ensure a coordinated response to the problem. 

Last week, the federal government announced $121 million in funding over five years to go towards crime prevention and enforcement efforts in cities across Ontario to take action against the increase in gang violence and auto theft. 

“Here in York Region, auto theft is a growing problem and one that’s increasingly violent,” Minister of Public Safety Dominic LeBlanc said at the announcement.

NewmarketToday previously spoke to a resident who was attacked in broad daylight in front of the York Curling Club on Muriel Street. He was jumped by multiple men at 9 a.m. and pulled out of his car and beaten before his vehicle was stolen. 

His car was later found in Toronto, but few details could be shared at the time because it was part of an ongoing investigation connected to a carjacking ring.

“It’s a much bigger investigation than this,” the victim told NewmarketToday.

On Dec. 4, 2023, York Regional Police said 4,294 vehicles had been stolen in York Region in 2023 up to that time, compared to 3,187 in 2022 over the same timeframe.

To deter auto theft in York Region, York Regional Police launched Operation Auto Guard in September of 2023, a multifaceted crime prevention campaign. 

“We recognize we need multiple strategies across all levels of government, law enforcement, community agencies and our citizens to end auto thefts,” said Chief Jim MacSween at the time.

This came after York Regional Police saw an almost 50 per cent increase in vehicle thefts compared to at that time in 2022 and 2019.

“We’re on pace for a staggering increase of approximately 200 per cent,” a York Regional Police news release for the campaign said.

As a result of the seven-week campaign, 80 stolen vehicles worth more than $5 million were recovered and 56 arrests were made resulting in 284 offences being laid by York Regional Police.

Police also gave away more than 24,000 Faraday bags, used to block the signal-duplicating devices that replicate key fobs, as part of the campaign and attended more than 100 locations, where they educated citizens on auto thefts and how to prevent them and protect themselves.

“We work every day to keep criminal organizations and their activities out of our neighbourhoods,” said MacSween. “These groups bring unwanted criminal elements into our communities, resulting in the rash of violent carjackings across the GTA and beyond.”

-With files from Patrick Cain