Comments follow a major car theft conference in Ottawa
Laval mayor Stéphane Boyer as well as LPD police chief Pierre Brochet had this to say last week after taking part in a major gathering held in Ottawa by law enforcement officials from across Canada regarding the vehicle theft wave that has broken out in virtually every region of the country.
A concerted strategy
“Car theft is a crime against property which has a major impact on other types of criminality here as in other areas of the country,” said Boyer, while noting that a nationwide action plan will be needed with concerted actions.
“The Laval police service already has actions underway on the territory, although the challenges remain numerous,” added the mayor.
“Through our presence today, we wish to add the voices of local communities, while at the same time offering our complete cooperation to find solutions to this complex problem which cannot be resolved without strong coordination and additional resources.”
Criminals are profiting
“The issues are many and complex, including the necessity to have a global approach bringing together all the concerned players in order to ensure there are significant outcomes,” said LPD chief Brochet. “Car theft has become a market that is unfortunately too lucrative for criminals.
“Together, we have the ability to put the brakes on this phenomenon by prioritizing multiple solutions,” he added. “The impact on the sense of security of the population and the police force is real. Faced with the current situation, it has become more than necessary to coordinate things nationally with adequate investments so that the partners can mobilize quickly and efficiently.”
Some facts about car theft in Laval
Number of vehicles stolen annually on Laval territory *
- In 2021: 1,047
- In 2022: 1,567
- In 2023: 1,351, in addition to 77 arrests linked to stolen vehicles
* Numbers furnished by Laval Police
