The Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS) is investigating a number of recent personal vehicle thefts in the Town of Oakville.
Car thieves are targeting particular makes and models. They range from 2017 – 2020 Lexus vehicles included models RX350 and GX460, Toyota Highlander and Land Rover Ranger Rover model. The targeted vehicles were removed from residential driveways between the hours of 11:00 pm and 5:00 am.
Similar thefts are occurring throughout the Greater Toronto Area. These vehicles are in high demand overseas and often shipped to North Africa, Asia and Europe. These vehicles typically have no tracking capability from the manufacturer or dealership, making recovery difficult once the vehicle is stolen.
The majority of the thefts are committed utilizing a signal relay device.
It appears that the technology used may be accessing the signal transmitted by the vehicle's key fobs. Once inside the vehicle, the suspects are able to start the vehicle and drive away within minutes of their arrival at the residence.
A review of available security video shows suspects approaching the residences on foot, and then utilizing a device to defeat the vehicles' security systems.
Car theft prevention tips
We are encouraging you to implement the following vehicle theft prevention tips:
- Park your vehicle within a locked/secure garage as the majority of the vehicles are stolen from residential driveways
- If a garage is not accessible, park another vehicle behind it in the driveway to act as a physical barrier to its removal
- Lock the data port using a simple device that can be purchased online and blocks access to the computer port where thieves gain access to reprogram the vehicle's keys
- Invest in an aftermarket global positioning system tracker or have one installed by the dealer, as it may assist in recovery of the vehicle if it is stolen
- Ensure your unattended vehicle(s) are locked and secure
- Never leave spare keys in your vehicle
- Never leave spare keys outside of your residence
- When not in use, place vehicle keys inside a radio frequency shielding bag/pouch to block cell signals
- Equip your vehicle with an alarm
- Use other devices to deter thefts (e.g. steering wheel locking device)
- Consider purchasing a quality video surveillance system and ensure your cameras are properly placed and functioning for 24-hour use
Community safety is a shared responsibility. Help keep communities safe and immediately report any suspicious activity. Anyone with questions or information about these vehicle thefts is asked to contact Det. Omar Nadim at the 2 District Criminal Investigations Bureau at 905 825-4747 ext. 2278.
Tips can also be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers. "See something? Hear something? Know something? Contact Crime Stoppers" at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.ca.