Provincial Carjacking Joint Task Force to tackle rise in auto crimes

'Whether it be a carjacking, a home invasion, an assault, or another form of intimidation, the level of violence being used in the commission of these offences represents a new and evolving threat to public safety'

Courtesy OPP.

Police agencies across Ontario have created the Provincial Carjacking Joint Task Force (PCJTF), aimed at addressing the rising incidents of violence related to auto crimes.

"Whether it be a carjacking, a home invasion, an assault, or another form of intimidation, the level of violence being used in the commission of these offences represents a new and evolving threat to public safety," says a news release.

The purpose of the PCJTF is to disrupt the networks responsible for high-risk auto thefts, which increasingly involve violence, firearms, and other weapons. Members of the task force will work collaboratively to maximize enforcement efforts against criminal organizations involved in violent vehicle crimes who are operating within the GTA.

"Carjackings are a serious public safety issue, which has resulted in assault and even homicides," says OPP Chief Superintendent Paul Mackey. "To evade police, thieves may drive dangerously and recklessly, putting the lives of pedestrians, other motorists, and police in danger. The OPP and partners will investigate and hold anyone who is involved in violent auto theft accountable, through a collaborative and intelligence-led approach."

The PCJTF will be notified of violent auto crime occurrences taking place in each jurisdiction, which will then be investigated collaboratively.

The incidents of violence related to auto crimes occurring in Ontario have increased over the last several years. There have been more than 300 carjackings in the GTA in 2023, with over 200 of those occurring in Toronto.

Thieves are stealing vehicles, and then using those vehicles to carry out other crimes, or are shipping them overseas, where they are resold. Alternatively, vehicle identification numbers (VINs) are altered and the vehicles are sold domestically.

According to the website Regal Insurance Brokers;