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55 vehicle thefts and counting in Wellington County

'The forecast for 2022 is 136 occurrences of stolen vehicles'
2021-05-20 OPP cruiser
file photo

Wellington OPP reports 55 vehicle thefts in the county so far this year, and the occurrence rate is forecasted to grow higher by the end of 2022. 

In a recent statistical report, Wellington County OPP has seen 55 vehicle theft occurrences – 34 of which were motor vehicles; 14 were automobiles; four were trucks; two snow vehicles; and one construction vehicle. 

Last year, vehicle theft occurrences was 103, and in 2020, it was 104.

“These numbers show occurrences of theft, not the number of vehicles. The forecast for 2022 is 136 occurrences of stolen vehicles,” said Const. Jacob Unger in an email. 

According to a 2021 year-end report issued by insurance platform HelloSafe.ca, a car is stolen every 48 minutes in Ontario. The report claims 47.2 per cent of all cars stolen in Ontario in 2021 were SUVs.

Unger reminds county residents that most vehicle thefts are preventable by following these steps:

  • Do not leave the car running while in the driver is in the house or goes into a store. It takes less than a minute for someone to steal a car
  • Never leave the keys in the vehicle even if it is hidden well
  • Store the key fobs somewhere in the house that is away from the driveway or roadway so that they cannot be copied easily
  • Parking the vehicle in a garage, if possible, is a great way to prevent theft
  • Always lock the vehicle and don't leave valuables in the vehicle
  • If the vehicle is stolen and used to commit a crime or is involved in an accident causing injuries, the owner of the vehicle could be held liable to some extent


Angelica Babiera, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

About the Author: Angelica Babiera, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

Angelica Babiera is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter covering Wellington County. The LJI is funded by the Government of Canada
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