Thieves target these 5 vehicles from your driveway, cops tell Mississauga and Brampton residents

Car thieves are bolder than ever before, many of the crooks in recent years taking vehicles directly from the driveways of Mississauga and Brampton residents as they sleep.

Peel Regional Police, in partnership with law enforcement agencies across the GTA, Ontario and Canada, have been trying to stay ahead of–or at least keep up with–the rapid pace at which car crooks are plying their illegal trade.

While many GTA regions are targeted, Mississauga and Brampton are among the most attractive hunting grounds for car thieves for a variety of reasons–and the number of thefts is still on the rise.

The five types of vehicles culprits are targeting most in Peel and across the GTA are: 2016-21 Toyota Highlander; 2016-21 Honda CRV; 2016-21 Range Rover; 2017-21 Ford F150; and 2016-21 Lexus RX350.

Many of these vehicles are grabbed by the thieves from the driveways of homes while residents sleep, auto theft investigators say.

Police in Peel, Toronto, York and across the GTA have made several recent major car theft ring busts and they have a number of operations currently on the go.

In March of this year, Peel police recovered 78 stolen luxury vehicles worth more than $10 million that had been taken right from Mississauga and Brampton driveways.

Cops collared the cars before they could be moved to Montreal and then overseas to the Middle East, and also arrested and charged four men.

In addition to their own efforts, police say they’re also working with the Insurance Board of Canada “to reduce the opportunity for thieves to target your vehicle.”

Also, police urge vehicle owners to take a number of steps to discourage car thieves.

They say these types of car thefts are preventable if people do the following:

• park your vehicle in the garage, if possible
• if you have a second vehicle, park it directly behind your vehicle of the type among those listed above
• use a steering wheel locking device
• invest in outdoor security cameras for your home
• ensure property is well lit
• install after-market products such as a GPS tracking device and others
• don’t leave your key FOBs by the front door. Store them far away from your vehicle
• store keys in a Faraday/RFID Blocking device when possible
• be aware of suspicious vehicles in your neighbourhood and report any such vehicles to police

Earlier this year, police and auto industry stakeholders came together on March 10 at the Marriott Toronto Airport Hotel to form a united front against vehicle thieves in Mississauga and Brampton.

The first-ever such Auto Theft Summit sought to brainstorm new ideas, and fine-tune older strategies, in the battle against organized car crooks.

According to Peel police, there were nearly 6,000 vehicles stolen last year in Mississauga and Brampton.

In recent years vehicle theft has been a growing concern in the GTA. We are working with the Insurance bureau of Canada to reduce the opportunity for thieves to target your vehicle. Follow these #safetytips to help protect yourself and your property. #PoliceWeek2023 @PeelPolice pic.twitter.com/lKCRE1zugk

— PRP – Community Safety & Well-Being (@PRPCSWB) May 17, 2023