Toronto police will award up to $5,000 for tips related to auto thefts until the end of September, police said at a news conference Tuesday.
The reward is for tipsters who provide verified information to Toronto Crime Stoppers that helps police arrest suspects in auto theft investigations.
“If you have something to say, say it now,” Crime Stoppers chair Sean Sportun said. “By doing so, you’ll be making your community a safer place.”
Toronto police Chief Myron Demkiw said auto thefts have spiked in the last few years and organized crime is largely respnsible.
Over 11,900 vehicles were stolen in Toronto in 2023, said Insp. Joseph Matys.
Police data show there was a 25 per cent increase in incidents related to auto thefts in 2023 compared to 2022. So far in 2024, there have been 6,185 such incidents, down about 20 per cent for the same time period in 2023.
Auto theft insurance claims for Toronto reached $371.8 million in 2023, making the city the costliest in Ontario for auto theft claims, according to data from the Insurance Bureau of Canada.
The cash rewards are part of an auto-theft awareness campaign launched by Toronto Police and Toronto Crime Stoppers on Tuesday.
The campaign intends to raise awareness about the problem and “deter would-be criminals” by encouraging anonymous tips, Demkiw said.
“These are not just property crimes,” Demkiw said. “These crimes impact people’s sense of safety, security and have lasting impacts.”
Police also announced a new “central auto intake model” for the Hold Up Squad, which investigates robberies. All auto crimes will be processed through the model and examined for similarities and trends, Matys said.
Tips could be worth $500 or $5,000: Crime Stoppers chair
Crime Stoppers stopped paying out individual tips in 2021, Sportun said.
The limited time period for the newly announced award is intended to encourage people to come forward as soon as possible, he said.
Crime Stoppers board members will discuss incoming tips together and assign a value to them, Sporton said.
“It could be a $5,000 tip … or it could be a $500 tip, depending on the information that comes out,” he said.
In 2023, anonymous tips to Crime Stoppers helped recover 42 vehicles, Demkiw said.
Sporton said Crime Stoppers has handed out a “substantial amount of money” for tips in the past.
He said he could not disclose how much money has been awarded in total.
People can leave an anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers by calling or visiting their website.