Our streets are safer without reckless thieves behind the wheel, and fewer theft claims mean lower Autopac rates.

Total Thefts - Province

Average number of vehicles stolen daily – Winnipeg

Closing the Gap on Auto Theft

LESS THEFT / MORE PEACE OF MIND

Fewer stolen vehicles, greater safety and reduced rates

Manitoba won a hard-fought battle in 2008 when auto theft rates continued a dramatic downward turn. Auto theft declined by more than 40 per cent from 2007, reaching the lowest level in the province since 1992.

Since 2004, when Manitoba’s auto theft problem peaked, there has been a 62.4 per cent drop in theft numbers across the province. The number of vehicles stolen in Manitoba has fallen for 31 of 32 months for the period ending February 28, 2009, and attempted thefts have seen similar declines in the last 19 months of that same period.

When fewer vehicles are stolen in Manitoba, everyone benefits. Our streets are safer without reckless thieves behind the wheel, and fewer theft claims mean lower Autopac rates.

The decline has saved the corporation $58 million in theft claims costs since 2005 when compared to our forecasts. Those savings have contributed to a 3.6 per cent rate reduction in Autopac rates over the last two years, including a one per cent reduction overall in the 2009/10 insurance year.

WATSS teamwork keeps thieves sidelined

Manitoba’s team approach in the fight against auto theft is a crime prevention success story.

Manitoba Public Insurance, Manitoba Justice and the Winnipeg Police Service together created the Winnipeg Auto Theft Suppression Strategy, with funding from the corporation. WATSS provides intensive monitoring of the worst repeat offenders, using the combined forces of families, schools, social services, law enforcement and probation.

In 2008, an average of 141 youth were monitored through WATSS at any given time. Of these, 121 were classed as Level 4 repeat offenders. These Level 4 offenders, when not incarcerated, may be contacted through the program as often as every three hours to ensure they are in compliance with their release requirements. The police and probations staff have zero tolerance with noncompliance situations and the youth are put back into custody if they do not comply.

The program gained national attention during the year, including an October 2008 report from the Conference Board of Canada, Making Communities Safer, Lessons Learned in Combating Auto Theft in Winnipeg, which praised Manitoba’s collaborative approach.

Immobilizers protect vehicles

In 2008 another 45,094 vehicles were equipped with aftermarket immobilizers through the program administered by Manitoba Public Insurance. By year end, nearly 80 per cent of all Most-at-Risk vehicles in Winnipeg were protected with aftermarket immobilizers.

The total percentage of Manitoba vehicles with either a factory-installed or aftermarket immobilizer now sits at 52 per cent, up from 43 per cent in 2007. It’s a dramatic increase from 2005 when only 18 per cent of the total fleet was protected. By the end of the 2009 fiscal year we expect 75 per cent of the Winnipeg fleet to be protected with immobilizers.