Almost 600 cars stolen since Christmas in Mississauga and Brampton

It hasn’t yet been a full month since Christmas, but vehicle thefts in Mississauga and Brampton are already in the hundreds.

Police crime data indicates that at least 582 vehicles have been stolen across both cities since Dec. 25, 2022 — not entirely unexpected after 95 cars were stolen in just the first week of the year.

Of the 582 stolen vehicles, 408 were automobiles, 167 were trucks, six were motorcycles, and one was listed by police as “other.”

Here’s where the thefts occurred:

The investigations into most of the thefts are still ongoing, with 40 marked as unsolved and only 11 considered solved.

Peel Regional Police said the vehicles are likely being resold illegally, as a “tidal wave” of stolen cars from Ontario were found to be shipped overseas and openly sold at used car lots.

Regardless of where the vehicles end up, vehicle theft has become such a pressing issue in Peel that police are planning a summit in 2023 to discuss the issue.

The summit, expected to be held early this year, will invite mayors, board chairs, and police chiefs in Peel, Toronto, York, Durham, Halton, Hamilton and Niagara to discuss concrete actions to reduce auto thefts and carjackings.

More information is expected to come closer to the summit’s date.

All car owners are advised to follow these theft prevention tips:

• If possible, park vehicles in a locked garage
• Install GPS trackers in vehicles if possible
• Install steering wheel lock systems
• Store vehicle keys/fobs away from the exterior walls of your home
• Consider storing keys/fobs in Faraday boxes
• Make sure the doors are locked and the windows are rolled up
• Ensure there is adequate lighting in the area of driveways and entranceways