Waterloo Regional Police say 29 Toyota Highlanders have been stolen in the area so far this year, with 12 going missing in May alone.
They say it is a growing trend across Ontario, prompting police to issue a warning to area residents over the weekend.
On May 29, police say two of the vehicles were stolen from in front of a home on Arthur Fach Drive in Cambridge in the span of hours.
In both cases, the SUVs were newer with remote keyless entry and pushbutton start technology.
Police are warning those who drive Toyota Highlanders as well as other SUVs and pickup trucks from such manufacturers as Land Rover, Ford or Dodge to be mindful of relay and reprogramming thefts.
In relay theft situations, thieves approach a home and search for a signal from the key fob. If they are able to find the signal, they will boost it, allowing them to unlock and start the vehicle.
Since the thefts tend to occur overnight, police say the homeowner does not discover the theft until morning.
In reprogramming thefts, police say the thieves will force entry into a vehicle and then use an electronic device to access the vehicle’s diagnostics. The bandits then reprogram a blank fob so they can make off with the vehicle.
Police have offered a few ways for owners to protect their vehicles from such theft, including parking the vehicle in a garage, buying a device to block access to to the vehicle’s diagnostic port, and keeping the key fob in a frequency shielding container.
Police also suggested adding a third-party tracking device or immobilizer and keeping the vehicle locked at all times when not in use.
Police also advise residents to install a surveillance system that records in 24-hour durations.
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