Toronto Police back away from advice that makes car theft easier

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Toronto police have backed away from a statement on how to prevent auto theft motivated home invasions following social media backlash.

At a town hall meeting in Etobicoke last month, Constable Marco Ricciardi told residents to leave their keys by the door, especially if they’re in a Faraday bag that prevents would-be thieves from stealing the signal needed to unlock the car and start it.

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“To prevent the possibility of being attacked in your home, leave your fobs at your front door,” he said. “Because they’re breaking into your home to steal your car. They don’t want anything else.”

He added: “A lot of them that we’re arresting have guns on them. And they’re not toy guns; they’re real guns. They’re loaded.”

There was pushback and even mocking responses on social media from residents who suggested police were just telling people to let thieves steal their cars.

Said one user on X, “Toronto Police have given advice to residents worried about the city’s spiraling auto theft problem — just let thieves steal your car by leaving them the keys.” The web site thedrive.com, billed as “the chronicle of car culture,” made a similar point.

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Now Toronto Police have responded with a tweet on X about auto theft and home invasion prevention tips.

“An officer at a recent community meeting suggested that people leave the keys to their vehicle in a faraday bag by the front door,” the message says, without naming the officer in question. “While well meaning, there are better ways to prevent auto theft motivated home invasions.”

The accompanying link notes that home invasions and break-and-enters for auto theft rose 400 per cent in Toronto last year. (Auto thefts themselves were up 40 per cent year over year.) While stressing always to prioritize your own safety over that of your vehicle, the link included a number of strategies to cut down on the risk of theft.

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They include parking in a garage if possible, keeping the driveway well lit, and installing security measures in and around your home such as cameras, motion detectors, security film on glass windows, and multipoint door locks.

The police also warn against posting to social media when you will be away on holiday. And in the Etobicoke meeting, Ricciardi noted that keeping your routine unpredictable can help.

“If I watch you three or four days am I going to pick up your habits?” he asked. “And if that is, try to vary them a little bit.”

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