Alberta has emerged as an area of concern for auto theft last year, with data showing a shift in theft patterns.
Older trucks, which were often stolen for short-term criminal use and later abandoned, are being replaced by thefts of newer, higher-value vehicles intended for export. Alberta now has the highest per capita vehicle theft rate in the country.
According to a report by Équité Association, Canada’s auto theft rate for private passenger vehicles declined by nearly 19% in 2024. Despite this decrease, the organization stated that the number of stolen vehicles remains high.
The report indicated that more than 57,000 private passenger vehicles were stolen in Canada last year, down from more than 70,000 in 2023. It tracks thefts of household vehicles, such as cars, trucks, vans and SUVs, but does not include commercial vehicle thefts.
Bryan Gast, vice president of investigative services at Équité Association, said that Alberta is experiencing an increase in re-VINing, a practice where stolen vehicles are registered with fraudulent vehicle identification numbers. He said this tactic makes it more difficult to identify stolen vehicles.
"Vehicles that are re-VINed are increasingly being exported, as well as being used by organized crime groups," Gast said. "Essentially, it's a way for them to get free vehicles because they've stolen them, registered it, and it's driving around like a legitimate vehicle."
The report attributed Alberta’s declining recovery rate of stolen vehicles to this trend. The recovery rate fell from 87% in 2022 and 85% in 2023 to 77% in 2024. Nationally, the recovery rate increased from approximately 56% in 2023 to just under 60% in 2024. Gast said lower national recovery rates are partly due to vehicles being stolen for export.
Meanwhile, law enforcement has reported a rise in stolen Alberta vehicles being shipped out through eastern ports, including the Port of Montreal. Gast said organized crime groups operate across regions, shifting their activities in response to enforcement efforts.
Efforts to combat re-VINing are ongoing, but Gast declined to disclose specific measures, stating that limiting public details would make it harder for criminals to adapt. He said enforcement efforts in Ontario have been more effective in reducing the use of fraudulent VINs.
In Western Canada, British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba reported a combined 13% decline in auto thefts, totalling just over 20,000 stolen vehicles. Alberta’s thefts fell by 10%. The Atlantic provinces recorded 2,000 stolen vehicles in both 2023 and 2024.
Gast called on the federal government to proceed with planned updates to anti-theft regulations under the national auto theft action plan. Transport Minister Anita Anand stated in October that consultations on the proposed regulations concluded in the summer, with plans to introduce updated rules in 2025. However, with Parliament prorogued until March 24 and the possibility of an early election, the timeline remains uncertain.
"The fact that new, high-value vehicles can be stolen in 20, 30 seconds is a problem. So, I hope it remains a priority," Gast said.
