Car theft investigations reduced 8% in first year of Project Attire from Oshawa to Pickering

Durham Regional Police have reported a drop in car thefts for the first time in three years after they launched Project Attire to target the crime.

From 2021 to 2023, car theft rates increased 100 per cent across Durham. There were 1,539 cars reported stolen last year, according to the Durham Police Crime Map.

This ever-more common crime led Durham Police and the Equite Association, a non-profit insurance analytics organization, to launch Project Attire. The project specifically targets car thefts for investigation.

As of Nov. 27, the Region has seen 1,297 auto thefts per the Crime Map, a roughly 16 per cent drop. About have the cars stolen this year have since been recovered.

“In just one year, the Project Attire team has conducted 865 auto theft investigations, and laid 341 charges against 81 individuals,” Durham Police wrote. However, they’ve also noticed a “concerning pattern.”

“Many of those responsible for these thefts are already out on bail or are under specific probation conditions set by the court for a previous crime,” investigators wrote, “This situation highlights a troubling issue of recidivism — the tendency of individuals to re-offend after having been arrested or convicted for prior crimes.”

Police noted roughly 25 per cent of those they arrested for car theft in the last two years were in breach of earlier court orders or probation from a prior conviction.

“In an effort to raise awareness about auto theft, DRPS is excited to announce that a newly wrapped Durham Region Transit bus will be travelling throughout the Region, displaying important information about auto theft,” police added.