The Ontario government is providing over $490,000 over the next three years to help police in central Ontario combat and prevent auto thefts.
On Wednesday, Peterborough-Kawartha MPP Dave Smith said $492,609.94 will help support the Peterborough Police Service, Rama First Nations Police Services and the Ontario Provincial Police’s Central Highway Safety Division.
Smith says the funding is part of the government’s new $18-million Preventing Auto Thefts (PAT) grant program announced in late November. It’s designed to support new and enhanced crime-fighting measures, focusing on prevention, detection, analysis and enforcement. The funding will support 21 police projects across Ontario over the three-year span.
The province says from 2014 to 2021, there was a 72 per cent increase in auto thefts across Ontario — with a 14 per cent increase in 2022 alone.
“This collaborative partnership between police services will help will give officers the tools needed to fight auto theft between Peterborough and Rama First Nations,” said Smith. “Car thefts within this community are happening at alarming rates and this is unacceptable. We must stay one step ahead of these thefts and this investment will assist law enforcement in getting these criminals off the street and keeping vehicles safe and secure.”
Solicitor General Michael Kerzner says in Ontario, a vehicle is stolen every 14 minutes.
“This investment will give police services the tools they need to successfully fight auto theft across the province,” said Kerzner. “This grant will enable police services to work with law enforcement and logistics partners to enhance prevention, improve investigations and gather evidence to hold criminals accountable.”
“That’s kind of a scary thought because as an individual, you’re doing everything you should be doing to project your vehicle,” added Smith. “And they have found ways to circumvent that.”
The province also reports car thefts in Ontario have increased by 31 per cent in the first six months of 2023, when compared to the same period in 2022.
Peterborough Police Service chief Stuart Betts says the funding will make a difference in fighting auto theft.
“We are happy to support our law enforcement colleagues in addressing this issue,” he said. “What people don’t realize is that auto theft in itself is serious and can lead to other serious crimes in our community. We see this grant as a way to continue to ensure public safety in Peterborough and surrounding areas.”
Betts noted thieves are using new technology that can steal key fob signals from car keys in nearby homes. As a result, vehicles don’t need to be unlocked to start.
“Community members can put their keys — their RFID enabled key tags into a (faraday) bag — this will prevent any sort of duplication or the siphoning off of those signals.
Peterborough County OPP detachment commander Insp. Chris Galeazza echoed Betts’s sentiment, stating over the past three years there has been a “steady increase” in auto thefts in the region.
“This will allow the policing community to work collaboratively with industry stakeholders to disrupt and suppress auto thefts,” said Galeazza. “The Peterborough County OPP detachment has a close working relationship with the Peterborough Police Service. We will work diligently to enhance our partnerships with our non-enforcement agencies and disrupt the threat posed by individuals and organized crime networks, leading to safe communities and a secure Ontario.”
Earlier this year, Ontario announced the Organized Crime Towing and Auto Theft Team to help police services identify, disrupt and dismantle organized crime networks. The province also created the Major Auto Theft Prosecution Response Team to help police prepare and prosecute complex cases.
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