High-end vehicles are increasingly targeted by thefts, but it is the Honda CR-V that sits at the top of the list of vehicles most prized by thieves in Quebec and Canada.
According to the annual list published Monday by Équité Association, in Canada, some 4,117 Honda CR-V 2016-2021 brand vehicles were stolen in 2021, including 2,917 in Quebec, which fuels the lucrative export trade in stolen vehicles.
The Ford F150 series pickup truck and the Honda Civic rank second and third with 391 and 308 vehicles respectively stolen during the same period, across all of Quebec, Montreal having become the main port of exit for stolen vehicles.
Nationally, Lexus RX-series and Ford F150-series vehicles are the most popular, after Honda’s SUV, with 2,202 and 1,182 units stolen, the majority of them in Ontario, according to figures from the ‘organization.
The organization’s analysis reveals that burglars set their sights on all high-end vehicles, regardless of manufacturer, and are now using technology to accomplish their dirty work.
Using relay attack technology, burglars can thus connect to the on-board diagnostic port and reprogram the remote key fob to be able to start the vehicle which they can also break into with ease.
“Not only does vehicle theft cost Canadians millions of dollars each year, but the proceeds of this illegal activity fund organized crime and terrorism both at home and abroad,” said Bryan Gast, vice-president President at Equity Association.