Gloucester-Southgate and Alta Vista wards are the hot spots for vehicle thefts in Ottawa in 2025, as police see a decrease in reported vehicle thefts this year. Statistics from the Ottawa Police Service show there were 1,320 motor vehicle thefts reported between January and November, down from 1,460 thefts during the same period in 2024. The ward with the highest number of vehicle thefts reported in Ottawa is Gloucester-Southgate, with 102 vehicle thefts reported since the start of the year. There were 164 vehicles reported stolen in the south Ottawa ward last year. Alta Vista is second on the list for reported vehicle thefts, with 98 vehicles stolen during the first 11 months of the year, followed by 93 vehicle thefts in Rideau Vanier and 75 thefts in Orléans South-Navan. There were 1,638 vehicles reported stolen in 2024 and 1,854 vehicle thefts in 2023. An increased focus on vehicle theft from law enforcement across Ontario and more savvy drivers using theft prevention measures seem to be having an impact on the downward trend in auto theft. “Crime is quite often opportunistic so, the minute that it starts to get hard, the gangs move on. In this case, CAA has seen some movement to the west, so, there is an increase, for example, in Alberta in car thefts,” said Julie Beun, CAA’s Managing Director, Communications and Public Relations. “They are now talking about adopting some additional education practices that they were already very active in, but now really amplifying that message.” Despite the positive momentum in the fight against auto theft, those keeping a close eye on the trends say there is more work to be done. “Car theft is not going away. We have seen a reduction, but we’re talking about comparatives to all-time highs,” said Beun. “We’re not talking about what was happening pre-pandemic. The numbers are still very high, and we need to have a coherent, consistent response across the country and across all levels of government.” According to Équité, the top ten most stolen vehicles in Canada for 2024 include the 2021 Toyota RAV4, the 2022 Dodge Ram 1500 Series, the 2020 Honda CR-V and the 2023 Ford F-150. For some drivers, that list has impacted their vehicle purchasing decisions. “The insurance was much lower for the same priced cars, and the insurance was higher for some cars which are picked up more, so that actually changed my decisions in to which one to go for,” said Varun Sharda, who opted to purchase a Hyundai Tucson. “I did get the security tag from the dealership. Just because I feel like I have to have it.” Police said 60 per cent of vehicles reported stolen last year were recovered. Top 10 wards for vehicle thefts in 2025 (Source: Ottawa Police Service crime map) With files from CTV News Ottawa’s Austin Lee
