Auto theft continues to be our biggest area of concern. In April, SAHRA’s area had two auto thefts. Year to date, we are flat compared to 2022 but rates are high. This differs from the west side of Avenue Road (UACA area in table below) which had eleven thefts in April and is currently 140% greater than 2022.
At a City level, auto theft has increased 28% over 2022. Toronto Police continue to work on this diligently but the issue is complex and will take time to tackle. In our last eBlast we referenced an article regarding Project Stallion where 119 people were charged and 556 stolen vehicles recovered. We are hopeful that news releases like this will increase in frequency throughout 2023.
On May 3rd, the Ford Government announced the creation an OPP lead team to fight organized crime including crime related to auto theft. This is welcome news! The issue has become so rampant that more resources are needed to gain back some control of the thefts. We will track their progress as we move forward. The link below will take you to the CBC article.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/auto-theft-investment-ontario-1.6830834
Break and Enter:
SAHRA had one house break and enter in April. This brings our year-to-date total to four. The map below shows the closest intersections.
As mentioned previously, two of our Board members sit on the Community Police Liaison Committee for 32 Division. We would like to share a couple of items from the recent meeting.
- Residents may notice that some Canada Post mailboxes are taped so letters cannot be placed in them. This has occurred in a few areas due to content thefts – cheques, etc. being stolen. It is not known what Canada Post’s long-term plan is for the boxes impacted.
- 32 Division is experimenting with CCTV cameras. Current pilot locations are – Yonge and Willowdale, Lawrence Heights, intersections of Yonge/Finch and Yonge/Sheppard. Film footage is retained for a 72-hour period. We will update as more information is shared.
Maintenance Scams:
As the spring weather arrives, everyone has a long “to do” list of house related items – roof repairs, power washing etc. There have been several reports in the wider community of scams by “contractors” purporting to offer these services. BUYER BEWARE! It is very enticing to be able to cross these items off the list quickly – especially when magically the contractor can do it for you “this afternoon – crews are one block over!”
Due diligence is advised. Check references and confirm the companies offering the services are legitimate.