The hidden costs of having a vehicle stolen
Auto theft has surged in recent years and while police have made significant gains to stop criminals in their tracks and recover those cars and trucks, there remains frustration for victims, who are not always covered by insurance.
As Luc Robichaud slept, thieves walked up the drive of his Cassleman, Ont. home in early January, drilled a small hole in the driver's-side window to pop the lock, and ultimately drove off in his brand new Dodge Ram pickup truck.
"I noticed my truck had been stolen and luckily I was able to track it with the Ram app," he says. "This led OPP to recover the truck and they arrested four people out of the whole thing on the highway on the way to Montreal."
The Quebec port is a popular spot for criminals to bring stolen vehicles. That's where they are shipped overseas, and almost never recovered.
After police processed Robichaud's vehicle, it was towed to a dealership, where it remains because of continued supply chain problems.
"They [the criminals] pulled the infotainment system out of the dash, cut the harness at the back," says Robichaud. "I’ve been waiting for the parts for three months now and it’s going to be as much of a surprise to the service department as it is going to be for me when it actually arrives. I’m still making the payments, still paying insurance, and my insurance was covering about $1,500 worth of rental vehicle, which I blew through in a month."
And along with time, the costs are adding up on a vehicle he cannot drive, all part of a seemingly, never-ending nightmare.
Robichaud is not alone in this situation.
"Auto thefts increased in Ontario by almost 15 per cent between 2020 and 2021," says Anne Marie Thomas, director of consumer and industry relations, with the Insurance Bureau of Canada. "Theft and pandemic supply chain issues … are all part and parcel of what is contributing to the increased claims cost that insurance companies are seeing, and of course consumers, as well."
Thomas also notes that as the amount of money insurance companies pay out in claims could eventually increase the overall cost of coverage for all drivers.
"Insurance companies base their premiums partly on underwriting profitability, so if they're paying out a lot in claims, it stands to reason that they are going to have to increase rates to recoup some of that money," says Thomas.
Technology has been a main driver of the increase in vehicle thefts, with criminals using handheld devices to quickly gain access to cars. A car can disappear from a driveway in a matter of minutes.
"It’s an ongoing issue and growing issue not just for the province of Ontario but I would certainly say Canada as a whole," says Const. Justin Dickson, with the Ontario Provincial Police. "This is something we’re seeing every day on our highways. We’re coming across stolen vehicles and police are working diligently stopping these vehicles arresting these criminals who are being held responsible and accountable for this."
Dickson adds that consumers can also use technology to their advantage in protecting their property, with at-home solutions that include parking in a garage if possible, installing surveillance cameras and bright flood lights pointed at a vehicle that are activated by motion.
"And if their vehicle is stolen, they can provide police with possible description of the accused," says Dickson. "Also, installing tracking devices that could be manufacturer-made or third party made that you put in your vehicle on your own. Some of these tracking devices may send an alert to your phone if your vehicle starts moving when you’re not in it."
While Robichaud must now accept the cost of the theft, including the depreciated value of his new vehicle, what frustrates him the most right now is the time spent, and wasted, on waiting for the parts to arrive, a problem he does not blame on the dealership.
"Ram must realize that you can’t just ignore your customers. I understand that they have different part sources for the manufacturers and the parts department but, at the end of the day, you need to look after your customers," he says. "I’m hoping Ram sees this and says all right we need to get parts out to people that have vehicles that are sitting on lots waiting to get fixed."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NEW Is there a cost to convenience? Canada approves new cancer immunotherapy treatment
A new cancer treatment recently approved in Canada promises to cut treatment time down to just minutes, but experts have differing opinions on whether it's what's best for patients.
Air Canada walks back new seat selection policy change after backlash
Air Canada has paused a new seat selection fee for travellers booked on the lowest fares just days after implementing it.
Canada's new dental program offering hope of free care to millions but many dentists aren't signed up
A new Canadian dental care program is offering the hope of free care to millions, but while 1.7 million people have signed up for the plan, only about 5,000 dentists have done the same.
Province boots mayor and council in small northern Ont. town out of office
An ongoing municipal strike, court battles and revolt by half of council has prompted the province to oust the mayor and council in Black River-Matheson.
'Fatalities' reported following wrong-way collision on Highway 401, SIU called in: police
Ontario's Special Investigations Unit has been called in following a deadly wrong-way collision on Highway 401 in Whitby on Monday night, say police.
Winner of US$1.3 billion Powerball jackpot is an immigrant from Laos who has cancer
One of the winners of a historic US$1.3 billion Powerball jackpot last month is an immigrant from Laos who has had cancer for eight years and had his latest chemotherapy treatment last week.
King Charles III returns to public duties with a trip to a cancer charity
King Charles III returned to public duties on Tuesday, visiting a cancer treatment charity and beginning his carefully managed comeback after the monarch's own cancer diagnosis sidelined him for three months.
NDP says Ottawa's new grocery task force isn't living up to government promises
The federal government says the task force it created to monitor and investigate grocery retailers' practices has not conducted any probes and doesn't have a mandate to take enforcement action.
A group of Toronto tenants have been on a rent strike for a year and say there's no resolution in sight
Dozens of tenants in Toronto's Thorncliffe Park area have now been withholding their rent for one year, and it’s unclear when the dispute will end.