Brampton's Mayor Patrick Brown takes the wheel on reducing auto theft

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Brampton’s mayor hopes an “inexpensive” idea can help put the brakes on out-of-control auto thefts.

Mayor Patrick Brown has proposed a pilot project that would see thousands of signal-blocking Faraday cases doled out for free to car owners — so they can secure their key FOBs — in five areas of Brampton that have the highest percentage of auto thefts.

“This is really a temporary solution — to have every resident have one of these bags – until we get the broader changes we need,” he told CP24 on Wednesday. “And if we see a sharp decline in auto thefts in those five areas, then we’ll distribute (the Faraday bags) on an even broader level.”

Brown said auto thefts have increased dramatically since 2019 across Canada, not just in Brampton.

But in Peel Region alone, police statistics show there were 5,811 vehicles stolen in 2022, up 97% from the 3,119 vehicles that were stolen in 2019.

Thieves often target keyless ignition vehicles by deploying a process known as a relay attack. It involves intercepting the radio frequency from a key FOB in the owner’s home and relaying that frequency to a vehicle parked in the driveway, tricking the vehicle into thinking the key FOB is in or next to the vehicle.

Thieves are able to start the engine and drive off in under 60 seconds.

A Faraday case is a small pouch that blocks the signal once a key FOB is tucked inside.

“It’s pretty simple. It takes two seconds. So it’s worth a try,” Brown said, explaining it’s a $6 product that can easily prevent the theft of a $60,000 vehicle.

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Brown’s motion passed after being debated at a committee meeting on Wednesday. The pilot project is expected to be confirmed at a Brampton council meeting on Feb. 8.

Brown said changes need to be made by auto manufacturers to make it more difficult to steal a vehicle, and Canada must take action stop stolen vehicles from so easily being exported out of the country.

But he’s not content to sit back and wait for those changes.

“I want to do something immediately to radically decrease the auto thefts that are happening in my community,” Brown said.

cdoucette@postmedia.com

On Twitter: @sundoucette