Peel Regional Police have reported a significant 43.4 per cent decline in auto thefts across Brampton and Mississauga during the first eight months of 2025, though authorities caution that vehicle theft remains a serious problem in the region. Between January 1 and August 31 of this year, 3,515 vehicles were reported stolen, compared to 5,154 during the same period last year. While the decrease marks a substantial improvement, the number of stolen vehicles remains high, continuing to place Peel among the hardest-hit regions in the country.
The downward trend follows several years of rapid increases in auto theft across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area. Peel reached a record high of 8,322 stolen vehicles in 2023 before numbers fell to 7,231 in 2024, representing a 13.1 per cent decline. Local officials and police are crediting the latest reduction to increased collaboration among law enforcement agencies, all levels of government, automakers, the insurance industry, and border security authorities.
During an auto theft and public safety town hall hosted by Brampton East MPP Hardeep Grewal on September 29, Peel Police Chief Nishan Duraiappah told residents that the region has played a leading role in driving national strategies to combat organized auto theft. “This community has been the largest affected of anywhere in this country … We had the highest rate per capita, and everyone here has been affected by it,” said Chief Duraiappah. He noted that Peel’s leadership, combined with provincial investments and national advocacy, has placed the region at the forefront of reversing auto theft trends.
The town hall panel included Chief Duraiappah, Deputy Chiefs Marc Andrews and Nick Milinovich, local MPPs, and Brampton councillors. Police leaders highlighted the impact of two national auto theft summits hosted by Peel in 2023 and 2024, which brought together senior officials from multiple sectors to coordinate responses. A key focus has been the exploitation of Canada’s borders by organized crime groups, who rapidly ship stolen vehicles overseas. New federal shipping container scanners, including one installed at Brampton’s intermodal hub, have enhanced authorities’ ability to intercept stolen vehicles before they leave the country.
In addition to improved border measures, Peel police have expanded enforcement capacity and intensified their crackdown on organized crime rings believed to be responsible for a large portion of thefts. Deputy Chief Milinovich noted that more offenders are being arrested and charged than ever before, though he cautioned that systemic gaps remain. “We’re arresting and charging more people than we ever have, and we’re going to continue to do that. But, as we’ve heard, there’s some limits to that. If we’re arresting and charging people over and over again and it’s not working, then what we need to do is identify why that’s happening and where the gaps are,” he said.
Police officials reiterated their call for bail reform at the federal level, arguing that current laws allow repeat offenders to return to the streets too quickly. They stressed that while the decline in thefts is encouraging, sustained progress will require continued collaboration, legislative action, and community vigilance.