The 10 most stolen vehicles in Canada have been revealed

A new list of the 10 most stolen vehicles in Canada has been revealed.

The Équité Association, an organization that focuses on insurance crime and fraud prevention, released its annual list on Tuesday.

It found that the most commonly stolen vehicle in Canada last year was the Toyota RAV4.

Overall, auto theft has deceased but losses still exceed $1 billion annually in claims, the organization said.

“While we see early positive signs of progress, auto theft remains a national issue that has become a significant funding source for organized crime groups,” said Terri O’Brien, the president and CEO of the Équité Association.

“Despite an overall 19 per cent decrease nationwide, auto theft continues to cost Canadians over $1 billion in losses each year. This means that honest, hardworking Canadians still bear the true emotional and financial burden of this crime.”

The second most commonly stolen vehicles last year in Canada were Dodge Ram 1500s, followed by the Honda CR-V.

Here’s a look at the full list:

The Équité Association said that newer model SUVs, particularly those that are keyless, “remain prime targets for sophisticated criminal networks nationally, especially in Quebec and Ontario.”

“The Toyota RAV4’s appearance at the top of the list is a clear sign that organized criminal networks are not slowing down; they are simply shifting their tactics,” said Bryan Gast, the national vice president of investigative services at the Équité Association.

“We’re seeing a shift towards stolen vehicles being re-VINed for sale or disassembled in illegal chop shops and sold for parts. As the cost to buy and maintain vehicles rises, we can expect to see this trend grow.”

Gast said there has also been a 47.5 per cent jump in thefts of luxury vehicles valued at $200,000 or more.

That shows “criminals are focusing on maximizing their payouts as auto theft becomes riskier due to strategic law enforcement and government resourcing,” Gast said.