The number of vehicles reported stolen across Canada continued to decline during the first half of 2026, with figures suggesting the country is moving further away from the surge in auto theft that emerged during the pandemic.
A report released Tuesday by Équité Association found 20,759 vehicles were reported stolen between January and June, down 10 per cent from the 23,093 thefts recorded during the same period in 2025.
The non-profit anti-fraud organization says the trend suggests auto theft levels are moving closer to where they were before 2021, when thefts rose sharply across the country.
Theft rates continue to fall across the country
The steepest decline was recorded in Alberta, where reported thefts fell 15.1 per cent compared with the first six months of last year.
Atlantic Canada experienced the smallest reduction. The region saw reported thefts fall from 910 in the first half of 2025 to 873 during the same period this year, a decrease of 4.1 per cent.
Bryan Gast, national vice president of intelligence and investigations at Équité Association, said the increase in vehicle thefts several years ago was fuelled by pandemic-related supply shortages that created demand for stolen vehicles in international markets.
While the latest numbers are encouraging, Gast said criminal organizations continue to profit from stealing high-end vehicles.
"Stakeholders have to continue doing what we're doing because if we take our foot off the gas, criminals will see this is a very high reward, low-risk (crime)," Gast said.
Canadians still worried about vehicle security
Even as theft numbers trend lower, many Canadians remain concerned about how well their vehicles are protected.
An Angus Reid survey commissioned by Équité Association earlier this year found nearly 80 per cent of Canadians believe their vehicles are, or could be, vulnerable to theft.
The survey, conducted in July, also suggested 60 per cent of Canadians support government-mandated anti-theft technology in new vehicles.
National strategy remains focused on organized crime
Équité Association previously reported in February that auto thefts fell significantly in 2025. Even so, nearly 47,000 vehicle thefts were reported nationwide that year, and more than one-third of those vehicles were never recovered.
The federal government announced a national action plan in 2024 aimed at tackling organized auto theft networks. The strategy includes tougher criminal penalties, increased inspections of shipping containers and enhanced intelligence-sharing between agencies.
In its February report, Équité said those measures appeared to be having an impact. However, the organization warned Canadians remain vulnerable to organized vehicle theft rings and pointed to a rise in vehicle finance fraud detected at ports in Montreal and Halifax.
The latest figures suggest progress is continuing, though officials say sustained enforcement and prevention efforts will be needed to keep auto thefts on a downward path.
Barrie Police have been heavily involved in auto theft investigations. In May, Barrie and South Simcoe Police announced 40 stolen vehicles worth more than $3 million had been recovered through a joint organized crime investigation dubbed Project Starter. The recovered vehicles had been stolen from communities across Ontario, including Simcoe County.
- with files from The Canadian Press
