York Regional Police are warning residents about carjackings after the number of incidents has more than doubled since 2019.
"Over the past few years, thousands of vehicles have been stolen across the region, typically from the owner’s driveway, between midnight and 6 a.m.," police said.
While there has been a significant increase of carjacking incidents, 65 per cent of the incidents in 2022 have been solved with arrests made.
"Officers have remained active and aggressive in efforts to combat these issues, including initiating several major projects which have led to hundreds of arrests, significant charges laid and hundreds of vehicles being recovered in the last year. Despite this success, thieves are constantly developing new methods to accomplish these crimes," police said.
Drivers are advised to trust their instincts and be aware of their surroundings, call 911 if you think you are being followed, and if you are approached by thieves remain calm, don't fight back, and call 911 as soon as you are able to.
Vehicle thefts have also increased, police said. Carjackings typically involve threats or violence and suspects approaching victims to steal the vehicles, while thefts often occur when vehicles are left unattended.
According to the York Regional Police crime trend dashboard, in Newmarket there have been 81 incidents of vehicle thefts in the past 365 days, which is up 35 per cent from last year.
You are advised to park in a locked garage if possible, use a steering wheel lock, install a lock on the data port to prevent key reprogramming, and to check you vehicle regularly and call police if you find any suspicious tracking devices or see any suspicious people.
The warnings during Police Week 2022. You can get more crime trend information, prevention tips, and more during an Ask Me Anything session York Regional Police are holding on Instagram May 17 at 11 a.m.
