Vehicle thefts aren't just a big city problem

The rise in auto thefts in Ontario has been staggering in recent years. Now, thieves are beginning to venture outside major cities to get their hands on the vehicles they want.

On Saturday night, a 2023 Jeep Wrangler was stolen within minutes from a newly built subdivision in Arnprior, west of Ottawa.

Owners are now learning that even outside of major cities, their vehicles are being targeted.

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"Generally these neighborhoods are targeted and the vehicles sometimes are chosen beforehand," says Constable Sydney Jones with the Hawkesbury OPP detachment.

"And then the thieves do come back and commit the crime later on at a more opportune time; let's say two or three in the morning."

Automotive thefts hit a record high in 2023. The Insurance Bureau of Canada says insurance companies paid out more than $1.5 billion last year in claims to replace stolen vehicles.

Insurance expert Daniel Ivans with Rates.ca says, in an attempt to balance out the claims, some insurers are now charging owners of highly targeted vehicles extra before their car has even been stolen.

"Insurance companies are taking measures of actually surcharging some of the more stolen vehicles, to the tune of $500 or even as much as $1,500," he tells CTV News.

According to Rates.ca, owners of Honda Civics, Accords, and CR-Vs, Ford F-150s, and Toyota RAV-4s and Highlanders are seeing a 37 per cent increase over the average insurance premium due to thefts.

"What some insurance companies have shown is that they have to make up for this loss of premiums as a result of these claims," says Ivans. "And the only way that they can do that is by surcharging policies."

Ivans recommends drivers shop around for policies that don't surcharge owners, if they can. Police also have many recommendations to prevent your vehicle from being stolen in the first place.

"Back to your car into the driveway, hide your keys in the house and keep them away from the doors and windows, put a boot on the vehicle, get a steering wheel lock," says Jones.

"The more of these that you have checked off on the checklist, the less likely your vehicle is to get stolen."