387 vehicles stolen over 31 days in Mississauga and Brampton, Ontario

A new month brings yet another wave of vehicle thefts in Mississauga and Brampton with over 300 incidents reported in the past 31 days.

From Jan. 21 to Feb. 22, Peel Regional Police data indicates a combined 387 vehicle thefts were reported across both cities — 190 in Mississauga and 197 in Brampton.

This works out to an average of approximately 12 thefts or more per day in the region.

As of Saturday, 11 stolen vehicle cases had been successfully solved, 369 are still being investigated, and seven were deemed unsolved. Of the stolen vehicles, 305 are cars, 80 are trucks and two are listed as “others.”

The following map shows where these auto thefts took place:

The data also highlights the top six common hotspots this month for car thefts in Peel region:

• Airport Road—10 occurrences
• City Centre Drive —seven occurrences
• Courtneypark Drive—eight occurrences
• Dixie Road—13 occurrences
• Great Lakes Drive —16 occurrences
• Kennedy Road —nine occurrences

Additionally, insights into the patterns of car thefts reveal that certain areas are more vulnerable than others, prompting residents in the area to take extra precautions.

Compared to the same time last year (Jan. – Feb. 2024), the number of vehicle thefts in Mississauga and Brampton stood significantly higher at 849 incidents. Those numbers continued to increase monthly, totalling a whopping 6,657 car thefts by the end of 2024.

Here are three notable auto theft stories from February:

• VIDEO: Shocking daylight carjacking captured on camera in Brampton
• ‘Imminent’ carjacking foiled in Mississauga leads to charges for 3 teens from Brampton: police
• 14 stolen cars seized by police were taken from Mississauga, Brampton, elsewhere in southern Ontario

Peel police have shared helpful tips to prevent individuals from falling victim to auto thefts:

• if possible, park your vehicle in a locked garage, as the majority of the vehicles have been stolen from driveways.
• use a steering wheel lock. It will also act as a visible deterrent.
• install a lock on the data port. This simple device can be purchased online and blocks access to the computer port where the thieves gain access to reprogram the vehicle’s keys.
• consider purchasing a quality video surveillance system. Ensure cameras are properly placed and functioning for day and night use. Familiarize yourself with the system so it can be reviewed and accessed immediately.