York Regional Police (YRP) has commenced Operation Auto Guard 2.0 following last year’s successful launch.
Bryan Gast (pictured), vice president of investigative services at Équité Association, joined YRP chief Jim MacSween during Wednesday’s announcement of the operation. Also in attendance were Ontario’s Associate Minister of Auto Theft & Bail Reform Graham McGregor and Richmond Hill Mayor David West.
Describing the operation, YRP says on its website: “Community safety is a shared responsibility, and we need your help in the fight against auto theft. That’s why Operation Auto Guard 2.0 features a two-pronged approach: Crime prevention education and strategic enforcement.
“This year, York Regional Police will focus on expanding our reach by delivering crime prevention messaging in several languages popular in areas frequented by car thieves.”
The goal is to shift from recovering stolen vehicles to sustainably preventing them from being stolen in the first place.
New data published by the Insurance Bureau of Canada shows a 16% decrease in the number of auto theft claims in Ontario in the first half of 2024 compared to last year. Versus the same period 10 years ago (2014), the change is a 291% surge.
Équité Association, a not-for-profit organization with a focus on supporting Canadian insurers to fight fraud and crime, commended the YRP initiative.
“Équité applauds this multipronged plan that takes a collaborative approach to combat auto theft which includes targeted enforcement, active community engagement, and proven crime prevention strategies in the southern end of York Region,” it said.
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