Here's how many vehicles were stolen in Ottawa in 2023
The Ottawa Police Service (OPS) says car thefts are still an issue in the capital, after more than 1,800 vehicles were stolen last year.
Out of all the cars that were stolen in 2023, around half were recovered, police said.
Though the city’s police have had lots of success stopping stolen vehicles, there’s still work to be done in terms of stopping organized crimes, Chief Eric Stubbs told reporters ahead of the Ottawa Police Services Board meeting Monday.
"We’re working with our provincial partners. Lots of the stolen cars (from Ottawa) are going to Montreal. In 2023, we have stopped multiple people. We have arrested people for the second time. They are being reused by organized crime," Stubbs said.
The police chief says an Ottawa police officer is working with the Canada Border Services Agency.
"Our frontline officers, as well, they are going in some of the key areas and proactively patrolling where cars are being stolen and they are stopping vehicles that are suspicious to them that are driving at the time of night where they're getting stolen," Stubbs said. "We have had a lot of success stopping these vehicles."
Ottawa police say 1,854 vehicles were reported stolen in 2023, up from 1,289 vehicles reported stolen in 2022.
Barrhaven is one neighbourhood in Ottawa that is facing a growing trend of vehicle theft.
Anthony Owura is one of many residents in the area who has had his vehicle stolen from right in front of his home.
"It's really devastating," he said.
"If my car can be stolen, that means I'm not even safe here. The whole thing was too much for me."
Owura was one of the lucky victims who eventually had his vehicle returned to him, but it suffered some damage that needed to be repaired.
His story is one that's becoming far too common in Barrhaven.
Area Councillor David Hill tells CTV News Ottawa that he wants to see more action to address the issue.
"I'm going to be working as hard as I can to advocate to make sure the city is included in the next round of auto-theft grant applications," he said.
"There is a policing component to this and the city of Ottawa is unique because we have so many federal-related issues like protests and dignitary visits. All of those events take Ottawa police away from the suburbs where they would normally be doing traffic policing."
The Ottawa Police Service has not had a dedicated auto-theft unit since 2017, but work is underway to address the growing issue.
"Our deputy chief alluded to a new position that's being created for an intelligence officer. That will be starting very soon," said Det. Doug Belanger.
"That's an investment by our chain of command to address some resources to look at tackling this problem that has become a priority for a lot of our citizens."
Ottawa police tell CTV News that criminal organizations are recruiting teenagers and young adults with no criminal record to carry out their dirty work, knowing that they will face minimal punishment if caught.
"The age range is 16 to early 20s. That's probably the most common," said Belanger.
"I think the youngest I've seen in the last year or two for anyone arrested in connection to these types of vehicle thefts would be 14 years old."
Ottawa police to join federal summit on auto theft
The federal government has announced a national summit on auto theft, aimed at getting provinces and industry officials together to address the growing issue of cars being stolen and shipped abroad. Stubbs says Ottawa police are looking forward to participate.
"It’s not an Ottawa issue, it’s not a provincial issue, it is a national issue," Stubbs added.
He adds that the summit’s agenda and format are yet to be determined. The national summit will take place on Feb. 8.
Meanwhile, the federal government points to industry estimates which state the rates of auto theft went up in Quebec by half in 2022 compared with the year prior, and to a similar degree in Ontario.
Gangs steal cars and work with organized-crime groups to send them to the Middle East and Africa, or use them within Canada to commit crimes before destroying the vehicles, said the federal government.
That's despite the federal government insisting it has strong laws aimed at preventing thefts and tracking protocols meant to stop the stolen cars from being exported in shipping containers.
With files from CTV News Ottawa's Austin Lee and The Canadian Press
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.7027051.1725573856!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
Girl, 15, set on fire in assault at Saskatoon high school: police
A 15-year-old girl was set on fire in an assault at Saskatoon's Evan Hardy Collegiate Thursday afternoon, police say.
Liberal national campaign director says he will step down
Embattled Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his governing Liberals have taken another hit with Jeremy Broadhurst quitting his job as national campaign director for the party.
Father of Georgia school shooting suspect arrested on charges including second-degree murder
The father of the teenager accused of opening fire at a Georgia high school, killing four people and wounding nine, was arrested on various charges including second-degree murder, authorities said Thursday.
Toronto couple pushes for change after dog attacked by pack of coyotes
It started like any other night for Mary and Doug Youngson: a walk at their neighbourhood park with their rescue dogs, Mai Tai and Kahlua. But when the couple looked around, they say a pack of eight coyotes surrounded them, picked Kahlua up and ran off with him.
A Canadian airline is changing its check-in deadline for all flights. Here's why
Travellers will have to check in 15 minutes earlier than usual according to Air Canada's new cutoff time for all flights.
Man dies after surgeon removed wrong organ at Florida hospital, lawyer says
The lawyer of a woman whose husband died at a Florida hospital says the surgeon removed the wrong organ.
Conservative cuts? Party to share platform 'closer to the next election,' Scheer says
Conservative House Leader Andrew Scheer says Canadians will have to wait until 'closer' to the next federal election to learn about the party's platform.
Student convicted of killing classmate in Leduc gets life in prison without parole for 12 years
The man who fatally stabbed a classmate at his Leduc high school in 2021 was sentenced to life in prison with no parole eligibility for 12 years on Thursday.
Murder, aggravated assault charges laid in Vancouver stranger attacks
Charges of murder and aggravated assault in a pair of brutal stranger attacks in downtown Vancouver were approved Thursday, one day after the rush-hour rampage left one man dead and another with a severed hand.