Opinion – Where are the drones?

My next-door neighbour recently had his Toyota Highlander lifted from a GO station parking lot. Normally, that sort of misfortune would elicit shock.  Sadly, this is the third such theft I’ve heard involving friends and neighbours in less than a year.

At every Town Hall I’ve attended on crime or transportation, citizens are reminded about steps we should take to deter thieves. Install immobilization devices. Lock your car.  Park in well-lit areas.  Fair enough — I’m a strong believer in personal responsibility.  However, even these measures aren’t always sufficient.  Regrettably, the question that never quite seems to get asked is:  what creative approaches are being deployed by the police services to contain this problem?

Halton Regional Police Services point to a recent drop in vehicle thefts across the region. National statistics show a drop of 22% in 2025.  However, recent reports also suggest that car thieves are now pursuing a different approach.  Not only are the thefts becoming more brazen, but they are now targeting locations other than residents’ homes:

https://driving.ca/column/lorraine/auto-theft-revining-finance-fraud-stolen-cars

While any decline in vehicle thefts is encouraging, a certain amount of credit likely belongs to vigilant residents and the popularity of expensive after-market deterrents (immobilizers, steering locks, etc.). Whenever I’ve asked what new approaches are being deployed, the answer too often sounds like “same old, same old.”

However, the public’s patience with the spate of auto thefts and home invasions across the region is wearing thin, as a recent meeting at St. Raphael’s Church clearly demonstrated:

https://www.chch.com/chch-news/recent-wave-of-break-ins-sparks-fear-calls-for-action-in-burlington

So — what could be done differently, right now?

Random Spot Checks:

Police organize RIDE programs like clockwork every December, running for weeks to catch impaired drivers. Why not deploy similar late-night spot checks — say, between midnight and 6 a.m. — in residential areas like Roseland or Tyandaga?

Modern scanners can instantly read license plates and match registrations.  If a vehicle registered in Brampton, Mississauga or Toronto is cruising down a Burlington side street at 2 a.m., it’s likely not Amazon or Skip the Dishes.  It’s reasonable to ask a few questions, pull over the vehicle, and check it out.

Drones:

Drones are cheap, versatile, and highly effective at detecting suspicious activity. Why not use them to monitor GO station and shopping mall parking lots during the day? It’s a low-cost way to expand police visibility.

Decoys:

We already know which vehicles are most frequently stolen, which neighbourhoods are most at risk, and even the usual time when thefts occur. Equip a high-end decoy vehicle with tracking devices, park it in a vulnerable area, and watch what happens. It’s proactive, not reactive.

Post Rewards:

I’ve yet to see a local reward program for information leading to arrests or convictions in car thefts. If deterrence is the goal, few things motivate information-sharing better than financial incentives.

By the Numbers

While creative solutions to combatting auto theft haven’t increased, one thing certainly has; namely, Halton Regional Police Services’ budget:

An over-37 % budget increase in four years should produce more tangible results. Meanwhile, rising thefts fuel higher insurance premiums, privacy breaches, and personal losses. Yes, automakers must build stronger anti-theft systems — but a strategy that places an inordinate responsibility on individual citizens isn’t sustainable.

Going forward, Halton Regional Police Services will be looking for even higher than normal funding, as outlined in their 2026 Budget Overview (Halton Regional Police Service).

Halton Regional Police Services have the resources, tools, and technology to do more. It’s time they did — and time we demanded more creativity from the people we entrust to protect our community.