Over 300 separate incidents of vehicle theft were reported over the last 30 days in Mississauga and Brampton, according to crime data from Peel Regional Police.
From Apr. 16 to May 16, police data indicates a total of 330 reported vehicle thefts across the two cities.
Of the 330 incidents, eight have been marked as solved, seven marked as unsolved, and the remaining 315 are still being investigated.
Recent auto theft news includes the arrest of four people, two from Brampton, earlier this week who were charged following an OPP investigation into an alleged scheme involving stolen vehicles that were re-VINned and fraudulently registered before being resold across Ontario.
Police allege documents used in Ontario’s vehicle registration process were improperly obtained and used to give stolen vehicles new VINs, allowing the vehicles to be registered with the Ministry of Transportation, sold and driven as legitimate vehicles.
As of April 26, there have been over 1,300 vehicle thefts reported in both Mississauga and Brampton so far this year, with most of the stolen rides coming from Mississauga.
About 724 of the stolen vehicles were in Mississauga, 600 were in Brampton, and two of the thefts were attributed to neither city.
Vehicle thefts appear to be down from the same time last year, when there were 1,485 stolen vehicles reported. Mississauga also had the highest number of thefts from Jan. 1 to April 26, 2025, with 724 reported in Mississauga compared to 672 in Brampton.
So far in 2026, Mississauga’s Square One shopping centre and the area around Toronto Pearson International Airport are hotspots for stolen vehicles in Mississauga, while the Bovaird Drive East and Highway 410 area is a common area for vehicle thieves in Brampton, data from Peel police shows.
Police have offered the following tips to prevent being a victim of auto theft:
if possible, park your vehicle in a locked garage, as the majority of the vehicles have been stolen from driveways.
use a steering wheel lock. It will also act as a visible deterrent.
install a lock on the data port. This simple device can be purchased online and blocks access to the computer port where thieves gain access to reprogram the vehicle’s keys.
consider purchasing a quality video surveillance system. Ensure cameras are properly placed and functioning for day and night use. Familiarize yourself with the system so it can be reviewed and accessed immediately.
With files from Steve Pecar, Ryan Rumbolt
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