Ontario-wide carjacking task force to be co-led by OPP, Toronto police

Ontario Provincial Police have joined with their Greater Toronto Area counterparts to create a provincial task force aimed at addressing a rise in carjackings. 

The task force is set to be co-led by the OPP and Toronto police, who say the level of violence used in vehicle thefts represents a “new and evolving threat.”

In a joint statement, the forces say there have been more than 300 carjackings in the GTA this year, with over 200 of those taking place in Toronto.

Vehicle theft more broadly has spiked in recent years, with some insurance industry groups calling it a crisis. 

“The violence associated with auto thefts in Toronto and across the GTA is a concerning trend, and can be incredibly traumatic for victims and their loved ones,” said Toronto police Superintendent Steve Watts.

“TPS is committed to the safety and well-being of our residents above all else, and we are working around the clock in collaboration with the OPP and our other policing partners to address this issue and hold people who commit these crimes to account.”

The Ontario government earlier this year announced new funding for police to help tackle auto thefts, noting a 72 per cent increase in those offences from 2014 to 2021.  

The OPP and Toronto police say the joint task force is funded by the participating police services and the Criminal Intelligence Service of Ontario through provincial funding. 

With files from Lucas Casaletto of CityNews