Edmonton vehicle thefts rise 7.6% in 2023

Not only are vehicle thefts on the rise in Edmonton, but the recovery rate is decreasing, police say.

A scourge of automobile theft has gripped Canada, resulting in about $1 billion in costs to Canadian insurance policy-holders and taxpayers.

And Edmonton is not immune. Police say 4,714 vehicles were stolen in the city in 2023 – up 7.6 per cent from 2022. It’s a 26 per cent increase over the last three years.

Police say Edmonton is a hotspot for overseas shipments.

“We see mainly two different motives when it comes to auto theft,” said Acting Staff Sgt. Ian Strom with the Targeted Response to Auto Theft Prevention (TRAP). “Some vehicles are being stolen and used locally for crime, while others are being shipped overseas for profit.”

In 2023, TRAP made 490 arrests and laid 1,700 criminal charges, while recovering $18 million in stolen vehicles and equipment, police say. But as theft increases, police are seeing a decrease in the number of stolen vehicles they are able to recover.

“Vehicles being stolen and shipped overseas contribute to this reduction in stolen vehicle recovery,” Strom said.

“We are also experiencing an increase in violence and crime associated with accused persons from stolen vehicle arrests. In 2023 alone, TRAP teams seized 35 firearms and over $110,000 in illicit drugs from stolen vehicles.”

Police say many vehicle thefts in Edmonton are linked to citizens leaving their vehicles running and unlocked.

The federal government estimates 90,000 cars are stolen annually in Canada. It says auto theft increasingly involves organized crime groups, and the proceeds of these crimes are used to fund other illegal activities.

Ottawa says most stolen autos shipped abroad are destined for Africa and the Middle East.

Last week, the government earmarked $28 million in new money to help tackle the export of stolen vehicles.

–With files from The Canadian Press