From February 22 to March 22, 2025, Peel Regional Police data indicates a combined total of 336 vehicle thefts across both cities—194 in Mississauga and 142 in Brampton. This averages to approximately 10 or more thefts per day in the region.
As of Saturday, March 22, eight cases have been resolved, 298 remain under investigation, and 30 are classified as unsolved. Of the stolen vehicles, 261 are cars, 64 are trucks, four are motorcycles, and seven are categorized as “others.”
Peel Regional Police data also identifies the top eight hotspots for vehicle thefts in the region during this period:
- Airport Road: 12 occurrences
- City Centre Drive: 20 occurrences
- Courtneypark Drive: 6 occurrences
- Dixie Road: 12 occurrences
- Dundas Street: 7 occurrences
- Great Lakes Drive: 7 occurrences
- Hurontario Street: 6 occurrences
- Lakeshore Road: 6 occurrences
These patterns highlight that certain areas are more vulnerable, prompting residents to take additional precautions.
Compared to the same period last year (February to March 2024), when 646 vehicle thefts were reported, this year’s total of 336 reflects a significant decline. However, thefts in 2024 continued to rise throughout the year, reaching 6,657 by December. Relative to the previous 31-day period (January 22 to February 22, 2025), which saw 387 thefts, the current figure represents a decrease of approximately 13 percent.
Notable auto theft incidents from March include:
- Fake car thefts leading to fraud charges for a pair from Brampton.
- A chop shop with $1.45 million in trucks, trailers, and cargo discovered in Mississauga, resulting in charges for Brampton men.
- Stolen trucks bound for Montreal recovered in Brampton, alongside a “high-risk takedown” of carjackers, leading to charges against a Brampton teen.
- A car theft culminating in a crash involving a tanker truck on the Mississauga-Oakville border.
Peel Regional Police offer the following tips to prevent auto theft:
- Whenever possible, park your vehicle in a locked garage, as most thefts occur from driveways.
- Use a steering wheel lock as a visible deterrent.
- Install a data port lock, available online, to block access to the computer port used by thieves to reprogram keys.
- Consider investing in a high-quality video surveillance system, ensuring cameras are well-placed and operational day and night, and familiarize yourself with its use for immediate review.