Although Lytton Park is safer than many other areas of the city we are not crime-free.  Auto theft and break-and-enter are the most commonly-reported crimes. The Toronto Police services website offers excellent information about crime prevention. Their link, CPTED (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design) has a great deal of information supporting public safety.

The Community Police Consultative Committee meets on a regular basis with members of the community in 53 Division and Lytton Park Residents’ Organization participates in these sessions.

Division 53 – Crime Report 2022 (year-to-date)

Vehicle Crime Can Happen to Anyone. Any Vehicle is Susceptible.

Global Media reports the top ten most commonly stolen vehicles in Ontario for 2021 are:

• Lexus RX Series
• Honda CR-V
• Ford F150 Series
• Toyota Highlander
• Honda Civic
• Land Rover Range Rover Sport models
• Honda Accord
• Chevrolet/GMC Silverado/Sierra 1500
• RAM 1500 Series
• Toyota Tacoma

Why Vehicles Are Stolen

• To sell the vehicle or parts – Often thieves will take your car out of the province or country. Identification numbers may be altered or removed, ownership certificates forged, parts sold or the vehicle repainted
• For transportation – Thieves will use your vehicle to get where they want to go and later abandon the vehicle. They may just drive it around to gain ‘status’ with their friends
• To commit other crimes – Vehicles are stolen and used in other crimes such as robberies, break and enters, drug dealing or drive-by shootings
• For vehicle cloning – Vehicles are stolen, given a fraudulent identification number and then sold to unsuspecting persons who are defrauded of their money. Fraudulent vehicles will be located and seized by the Police

How to Reduce the Risk of Vehicle Theft

When parking your vehicle:

• Never leave a vehicle parked and running when you run an errand-even for a minute
• Always, remove the keys and take them with you
• Park in a well-lit, attended area if possible
• Completely close and lock doors and windows
• Turn your wheels towards the curb to make it harder to tow

When at home:

• If you have a garage, use and lock it
• Install a motion sensor light to light up your vehicles and garage
• If you have a rear-wheel drive car, back into driveway
• If you have a front-wheel drive car, park front end first
• Always set the emergency brake
• Don’t leave the original ownership or insurance cards in the vehicle when unattended – make a photocopy of both sides of the documents to leave in your vehicle
• Drop business cards or address labels inside doors to assist with vehicle identification

Other important tips:

• Never hide a spare key in the vehicle, thieves know where to look
• Be aware of your surroundings and drive with your doors locked

Preventing Theft From Your Vehicle 

• Never leave ANYTHING on display when you leave your vehicle. This Includes purses left in the front seat when pumping gas and power chords to run and charge devices as these may attract thieves to your vehicle
• Lock all parcels and shopping bags in the trunk of your vehicle
• Consider an alarm – Consider installing an alarm if you regularly leave your vehicle in accessible unattended places such as parking garage or a commuter parking lot. Remember to always take anti-theft precautions, regardless of whether you have an alarm as an alarm can only be expected to improve your chances of not being a victim

Invest in Vehicle Protection if Possible

• Have an Ignition Kill Switch installed – The ignition kill switch will prevent your vehicle from starting without it being turned on. As only you will know its hidden location, it is a good deterrent against thieves. In the event that you have this switch installed, contact your insurer and ask for a discount
• Visible Steering Wheel Lock – a visual deterrent to a thief
• Consider installing a Vehicle Tracking System – A vehicle tracking system uses GPS technology to locate and track your vehicle