Toronto Tops The List For Car Theft Search Activity
Car theft is becoming more elaborate and costly, and it is happening more frequently than ever before. Certain areas, cities, and vehicle models are more likely to be targeted, but recent data shows that those who commit these crimes are now conducting extensive research beforehand.
In a recent data study conducted by MyChoice, it was established that would-be car thieves have increased their online searches for information on how to steal a car by a staggering 84% since 2020. In the first quarter of 2023, MyChoice found 5,990 searches on Google.ca related to breaking into cars and car theft, which is a 27% increase from the previous year.
Toronto tops the list of cities where these searches are taking place at 11.2%, followed by Calgary, Edmonton, Montreal, and Ottawa.
The increase in online searches is concerning to Aren Mirzaian, the CEO of MyChoice, “the increase in online searches associated with car theft is alarming, auto thefts contribute to higher premiums for everyone, particularly for drivers in the areas where they occur. It’s important for drivers to have additional coverage such as comprehensive, specific perils or all perils with auto thefts trending upwards.”
Living in a hotspot area can increase drivers’ insurance premiums, even if they are not a victim of car theft. Insurance companies must balance payout claims, and making repeated claims in a short period of time can lead to insurance rate increases or even the removal of theft coverage from a driver’s policy.
It is important to stay informed about the risks of car theft, especially given that more criminals are researching how to steal a car. Drivers should be prepared to pay more out of pocket for any potential damages caused by an attempted theft or, even worse, a successful one.
*Source: Google Ads, Keyword Planner, 2020-2023
**Keywords tracked: car break in, car theft prevention, how to break into your own car, how to check stolen car, how to get into cars, how to open a car without a key, how to see if a vehicle is stolen, how to start a car without keys, how to start push button car, how to steal a car, how to unlock a car without keys, how to unlock automatic car door without key, how to unlock car door without key, starting a car without a key, stealing a car and what is the penalty for stealing a car in Canada