More than 130 Ram trucks stolen in York Region in 2023

Scott McCullough of Cobourg, Ont. parked his 2022 Ram pickup truck in a parking lot near Toronto Pearson International Airport before leaving on a family vacation to Cuba. By the time he returned, his truck had been stolen.

“We went to the parking lot to get to my vehicle and found out it was not there," McCullough said.

Jamie Niblett of Bowmanville, Ont. said he also had his 2022 Ram pickup truck stolen, right from his driveway.

“I walked down the driveway, turned around and noticed that my truck was gone," Niblett said. “I loved that truck and would like it back."

Kamyar Soltani of Thornhill, Ont. shares a similar story to Niblett, as his 2022 Ram pickup truck was stolen from his driveway too.

The early morning theft was captured on his home security system and Soltani said the thieves were on his driveway for about 15 minutes before they took off in his vehicle.

"I loved the truck and everything about it. It’s terrible someone can come to your property, take your vehicle away and it seems like it’s something very routine for the cops to deal with these days,” Soltani said.

Auto theft continues to be a major problem in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), and already in 2023, it seems to be getting worse.

York Regional Police (YRP) said about 3,200 vehicles were stolen in the region last year, but the force already expects that number to top 5,000 stolen vehicles this year.

So far this year there have been 131 Ram trucks stolen in York region, police said.

“It's almost like it happened overnight. It used to be the Lexus 350 RX SUV that was the top vehicle stolen by thieves, but now it appears to be the Ram. Criminals want them to sell overseas,” said Detective Jeff McKercher, with YRP’s Auto Squad.

To steal these trucks, thieves reprogram key fobs and use relay attacks to take over the vehicle’s computer system.

“Stellantis vehicles meet or exceed all applicable federal standards for safety and security. While such events are rare, they are not exclusive to any make or model of vehicle,” Jodi Tinson of Stellantis, Ram’s parent company, told CTV News Toronto in a statement.

“Stellantis uses industry-standard vehicle-security technology. And as with other vehicle features, we are engaged in continuous product improvement. Notwithstanding, we urge all motorists to take due care in securing their vehicles. The security and protection of our customers are unsurpassed priorities at Stellantis.”

Police are urging owners to use security cameras, park indoors in a garage, use steering wheel lock devices and Faraday pouches or other similar devices that can shield a key fob from being read by criminals using devices at your door.

For owners of Ram trucks, it's been frustrating as some used security systems and tracking devices, which didn't help prevent the thefts.

"I have a small business as a contractor, and that vehicle is my lifeline,” said McCullough.

Niblett said, “It's just a nuisance to go through the process to try and get something back that belongs to you.”

“When are they going to put an end to this or is this to become a part of our life?” said Soltani.

Along with the Ram pick-up, another vehicle gaining popularity with thieves is the Toyota Highlander, and while it's already on the top ten list of most stolen, police say they've seen a recent increase in Highlander thefts.