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