According to the IBC (Insurance Bureau of Canada), auto insurance fraud and theft cost Ontario residents nearly $1.6 billion. In the United States, approximately 814,400 cars went missing in 2020. 724,872 in the previous year, an increase of 11.8 percent.
CBC News worked with local car dealers in Lagos, Nigeria, to send a team of undercover investigators who discovered a fleet of cars suspected of being stolen from Canadian driveways and shopping malls.
The most stolen vehicles in Canada, according to IBC, are the 2017-2019 Honda CR-V, 2017-2019 Lexus RX350/RX450h, Toyota Highlander, and Dodge Ram 1500.
The investigation team discovered two stolen Honda CR-Vs with dealer stickers from Montreal. Both appeared in the system as "possibly stolen" after a simple VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) search.
The details of a 2018 Ford F-150 Pickup truck were also returned as "possibly stolen" from Ontario, as was a Lexus RX350 that still had its Ontario license plate.
Natalie Cara, a theft victim, shared CCTV footage of her 2020 Lexus being stolen at night with CBC News. The robbers took 20 minutes to steal her new car. Another victim was shopping in a mall when she lost her brand new Honda CR-V.
All it takes, according to the CBC News team, is a lock picking device and a programming tool that costs less than $1,000 online. Car thieves in Canada, according to Canadian authorities, also use a "relay attack."
The relay attack method involves using a device to trick the car into thinking its remote key fob is nearby, causing it to unlock and turn off the ignition.
Full documentary below