Peel police say thieves are targeting this luxury vehicle from people’s driveways

Peel Regional Police are warning car owners to be extra vigilant due to a recent increase in driveway vehicle thefts, with thieves specifically targeting Range Rovers.

Authorities have responded to more overnight vehicle thefts of late, police said on Monday. As a result, officers are urging the public to be mindful and issued tips that could deter thieves.

They include always parking vehicles in a locked garage, purchasing a wheel lock, automatic engine shut-off, and a tracking device, and covering or blocking a vehicle identification number when parked.

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Storing vehicle keys and fobs away from windows and doors of a home is especially helpful, as thieves can use technology to jump-start an engine if one is within proximity. It’s called a “relay attack,” which occurs when thieves effectively clone the signal to a keyless fob used to lock (or unlock) car doors.

Range Rovers are of particular interest to car thieves as there have been several reported carjackings involving that luxury vehicle.

In May, Toronto Maple Leafs’ winger Mitch Marner was the victim of a carjacking in the parking lot of a movie theatre in Etobicoke that saw his Range Rover stolen at gunpoint.

A month later, police in Halton made some arrests after a series of violent carjackings in Oakville, where the alleged perpetrators also targeted Range Rovers.

At a board meeting last week, Peel police services and members of the force agreed more efforts must be made to quell the increase in carjacking thefts.

“As a board, we have advocated for increased action to address car thefts and carjackings,” said Police Services Board Chair Ron Chatha. “While we are seeing some positive actions, many members of the community are still concerned by this issue.”

Peel police encourage car owners to install security cameras, and aftermarket products like GPS trackers, remote vehicle shut-off devices, and onboard data port locks to prevent thieves from cloning keys.