Pickups most commonly stolen vehicle in Canada
Farmers Forum staff
TORONTO — Farmers beware: Pickup trucks are among the most stolen vehicles in the nation, whether you leave the key in the ignition or not. And RAM pick-up trucks are the current favourite among thieves.
Police in rural Eastern Ontario apprehended three young women Aug. 23 driving three hot RAM pickup trucks stolen from the greater Toronto area. Each driver — ages 18, 19 and 23 years old — possessed a so-called automotive master key, contrary to the Criminal Code, according to Leeds-Grenville OPP. Officers arrested the women during separate Highway 401 stops.
Meanwhile, four late model Ram pickup trucks were stolen in the early morning hours Aug. 28 from separate addresses in Fergus, Ontario. Wellington County OPP are looking for a person of interest in the case, an individual with a thin build and wearing all black with a reddish hat. One truck was a 2021 model; the rest were 2022 models.
Ford F-series trucks top the list of most stolen vehicles in Canada.
In the case of Ram trucks, thieves have a method of entering the cab by drilling a single small hole in the side window to pop the lock, according to OPP Const. Annie Collins.
In some cases, access to a vehicle’s locked interior might also be gained by cloning the owner’s key fob by copying the signal.
Once inside a targeted vehicle, thieves can pop the hood and access the vehicle’s electronic wiring to reprogram the ignition system to work with another key or fob, allowing them to drive away.
However, “The majority of the vehicles stolen have been left unlocked with the keys in the vehicle,” Elgin County OPP Const. Ed Sanchuk said of his rural jurisdiction.
Sanchuk’s detachment last month investigated the theft of no fewer than six pickup trucks. Among them was a 2005 GMC Sierra pickup truck — left unlocked with keys nearby — from a West Elgin address.
Overall, pickup trucks are among the most commonly stolen vehicles in the nation. According to Équité Association, which tracks vehicle thefts in Canada, of the top five most stolen vehicles in 2021, three were pickup trucks:
1) 2018 model Ford F-series trucks, F-150, F-250, F-350, F-450
2) 2018 model Honda CRV
3) 2005 model Chevrolet/GMC Silverado and Sierra series 1500, 2500, 3500
4) 2019 model Dodge Ram 1500, 2500 and 3500 series
5) 2017 model Lexus, RX350 and RX450 series
Sanchuk said there are a number of things truck owner can do to prevent their pickup truck from being stolen:
- Always “pocket your keys” and lock up when leaving your vehicle.
- Leave your locked vehicle in a locked garage or a well-lit area.
- Don’t leave keys hanging where they can be found, and place fobs inside a metal box to prevent thieves from cloning them at a distance.
- Keep your vehicles parked where they are seen by security cameras overnight.
- Remove your ownership and insurance documents from the vehicle when not driving as they can be used for identity theft. Better yet, each driver of the truck can carry their own copy of the insurance slip and a photocopy of the ownership, signed on both sides.
- Attach a wifi tracking device on the truck to assist police with its recovery if stolen.
