Police in Canada believe many stolen vehicles are shipped overseas through the Port of Montreal, seen here, for sale. Photo: Graham Hughes / AFPSource: AFPMontreal-area resident Zachary Siciliani discovered recently that his car had simply disappeared -- likely in one of a rash of vehicle thefts in Canada. In Toronto, thefts of cars and light trucks between 2021 and 2023 increased by 150 percent over the prior six years. Photo: Daniel SLIM / AFPSource: AFPIn 2023, the number of car thefts perpetrated by organized crime groups increased by 62 percent over the previous year, according to federal police data. Insurers that year collectively paid out Can$1.5 billion (US$1.1 billion) in claims for stolen vehicles in Canada, an increase of 254 percent from 2018.
