Combatting auto theft with Équité Association

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, April 20, 2026 11:35 a.m.

OTTAWA – The Ottawa Police Service and Équité Association, a national not-for-profit that supports Canadian property and casualty insurers to fight fraud, are joining forces to combat and prevent auto thefts across Ottawa.

Auto theft continues to be a concern in Ottawa, with SUVs still the most commonly stolen vehicle.

There have been 302 reports of vehicle thefts in Ottawa since the start of the year. Of those, so far 187 have been recovered. Last year, 1,458 vehicles were stolen, and 979 vehicles were recovered by Ottawa Police. 

Through the use of advanced data and analytics, vehicle identification, and coordinated investigations, OPS, in partnership with Équité, will work to address auto theft investigations and recovery, and reach out to the community through awareness initiatives, reducing the chance of auto theft and the impact of this type of crime. The aim is to significantly reduce auto theft and insurance fraud.

“Auto theft is a multifaceted issue funding organized crime,” said Superintendent Jaime Dunlop, Serious & Organized Crime. “We are closely monitoring trends here and in surrounding areas, and we believe that this support from Équité Association will not only help us in our investigations but will also help to enhance community safety.”

“Auto theft is not a victimless crime. It is deeply complex with real and devastating consequences for our communities.  We look forward to harnessing our collective strength and working with law enforcement, including the Ottawa Police Service” said Betty Ng, Director, Investigations, Ontario, Équité Association. “Together, we will build on the momentum to combat the auto theft crisis that affects so many Ontarians.”

To mitigate the risk of becoming a victim of auto theft, Équité recommends using a layered approach, including simple steps like: 

• Park inside a garage if available;
• Block your vehicle in tightly against a second less sought-after vehicle;
• If you do not have a garage or second vehicle, one of the most effective techniques is to install an after-market vehicle immobilizer and alarm;
• Install after-market tracking devices or “GPS” – many of these have the ability to “fence in your car” notifying the owner’s smart phone if the vehicle leaves the established perimeter;
• If you use “Air Tags” do be mindful that if the thief has an Apple phone, it will advise them that the vehicle is being tracked so try and hide them within the vehicle;
• If you find an “Air Tag” in your vehicle or receive a message on your smartphone that you are being tracked, please call police as this is one means that thieves use to find a targeted vehicle. They typically return under cover of darkness to steal it;
• Install an Engine Control Module (ECM) port-lock;
• Install motion detection lights and exterior surveillance cameras at home as these can act as a deterrent;
• Keep in mind that thieves have returned to steal the replacement vehicle when a vehicle has been stolen, so remain vigilant;
• Use a steering wheel lock to deter thieves (keep in mind they can cut the steering wheel to remove it); it works best when combined with a secondary anti-theft device that may not be as visible to the thief.

Neighbourhood watch is still the best defence – so please report any suspicious activity immediately to police at 613-236-1222.  Call 911 to report a crime in progress.

Anonymous information can be sent to the National Capital Area Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or online at crimestoppers.ca. Tipsters may be eligible for a cash reward.

-30-

Through the Community Safety Data portal data.ottawapolice.ca, members of the public can view, download, and interact with data released by the Ottawa Police Service.

Help make your community safer: register your information and security camera location at CAMSafe.ca to support investigations.

CONTACT: 

Media Relations

Tel: 613-236-1222, ext.  5366

Connect with us through Facebook, Bluesky, X and Instagram.