News
York Regional Police launches Operation Auto Guard 2.0
October 2, 2024
By York Regional Police
Oct. 2, 2024, Aurora, Ont. – York Regional Police (YRP) has launched Operation Auto Guard 2.0, a campaign aimed at combating auto theft in the south end of York Region.
YRP is building on the success of last year’s operation, employing a multi-pronged approach that includes enforcement, active community engagement and proven crime prevention strategies.
The first Operation Auto Guard was a combined campaign of crime prevention efforts and targeted enforcement, with a focus on disrupting organized crime groups who steal vehicles then ship them overseas. It led to the recovery of 80 vehicles worth more than $5 million, with 56 people facing almost 300 charges.
That initiative, and many others through 2023 and 2024, have made a significant impact on the number of auto thefts in York Region. As of Aug. 31, 2024, there have been 1,868 vehicles stolen in York Region, down from 2,720 in 2023 – a 31 per cent decrease year over year.
Auto Guard 2.0 will continue to use a data-driven approach to identify hot spots for vehicle theft and YRP will focus enforcement and crime prevention efforts in these areas. Officers will be deployed into identified hot-spot neighbourhoods to provide crime prevention tips directly to residents.
Officers will also engage the community in public locations, such as shopping malls and recreation centres, handing out postcards with crime prevention tips in multiple languages, and Faraday bags, which block the signal-duplicating devices that replicate key fobs.
YRP recognizes the need for multiple strategies across all levels of government, law enforcement, community agencies and our citizens to end auto thefts. They continue to work with other police services in joint-forces operations across the GTA and organizations like Équité and the Canada Border Services Agency, as well as leveraging community engagement to enhance their strategy.
Auto Guard 2.0 will run until mid-November, while YRP’s crime prevention efforts and social media education campaign will run into early 2025.