How bollards are helping in the world’s newest car theft capital

So what is the world’s newest car theft capital, you may be asking? Well, the answer might surprise you – it’s Canada, of all places. Yes, the nation with a worldwide reputation for friendliness and politeness has a burgeoning problem with car crime. It’s meant that increasingly desperate drivers have resorted to a number of measures to keep their cars safe – and automatic bollards have been unquestionably amongst the most effective.

So then – what’s going on, and what can it teach us over here in the UK?

What’s happening in Canada?

In 2023, one car was stolen every 40 minutes, which makes the country one of the single biggest car theft capitals of the world. That label was given to it by Interpol recently this summer – which is a darkly impressive achievement, according to one of its spokespeople, since it’s had access to Canada’s data for scarcely five months.

Somewhat unsurprisingly, it’s already been declared a “national crisis” by the Insurance Bureau of Canada – insurers have had to pay out more than C$1.5bn ($1bn; £860m) in vehicle theft claims last year. As to what happens to the stolen cars, it’s typically one of three things: they’re sold domestically to unsuspecting buyers, shipped overseas to be sold, or used for criminal acts on Canadian soil.

Since February alone, when Canada began integrating its data with Interpol, the organisation says it has detected more than 1,500 cars around the world, and it’s picking up an average of 200 more per week at ports in other countries.

Canada’s car theft rate is even higher than the UK’s

While the US, Canada and the UK have all experienced a spike in car thefts since the Covid-19 pandemic, Canada’s is notably higher than the UK, by about 16%. Now, that probably seems like an obvious development on the surface of it, because of the size of the country compared to the UK (as the song goes, Canada is really big), but the population is around half the size – Canada’s 38 million to our 67 million.

That means this kind of surge is even more significant, statistically. To recap, it’s a population about half our size, exceeding our rate of car theft by an extra 16%.

So, why is all that happening? Well, as we’ve touched on above, it’s partly due to a pandemic-driven global car shortage – one that’s eased in recent years but still very much a factor.

Part of the reason why Canada’s drivers are particularly suffering is because there is also a growing market for select car models internationally, which is making car theft particularly lucrative for organised crime. It’s not helped by quirks of Canada’s international logistics – Canada’s port system places a greater emphasis on inspecting incoming shipments rather than outgoing ones for example, and customs officers often utilise outdated technology. There’s also limited collaboration between customs officers and local police forces.

How are automatic bollards helping?

Being deprived of your car in a place like the UK is bad enough, but in a country the size of Canada, where public transport systems can be threadbare in certain places, it’s an even bigger issue. Not only is it expensive and lengthy to replace, but for some people it can even prevent them from working for the duration that it’s gone.

So as you can expect, car owners in Canada are increasingly worried about the spate of thefts, and most are using a variety of methods, including everything from steering locks and installing trackers on their cars to hiring private neighbourhood security.

As we’ve touched on above, retractable bollards are also a major fallback for lots of owners, especially people who drive heavier cars.

It’s easy to see why – steering locks are very useful, but automatic bollards are nigh-on impassable, which is why they’re the go-to choice for so many sites across the world, even (or especially) for commercial sites and government installations.

They’re exceptionally sturdy, even when compared to other bollards, and offer security, convenience and style. They’re particularly useful in urban areas where parking is a challenge, ensuring that driveways and private spaces remain accessible only to authorised visitors (or the homeowners themselves). What’s more, the sleek design of automatic bollards means they can be used to complement various architectural styles, adding sophistication to the property.

And if you’re considering incorporating them into your own property, you’re in exactly the right place.  For over 15 years, we’ve been installing and maintaining security solutions across the UK for domestic, commercial, and industrial sectors, and we take pride in providing quality products that give our customers peace of mind. That includes heavy-duty bollards designed to protect crowded or sensitive areas, such as commercial automatic bollards and hydraulic automatic bollards.

If you’re looking to place an order, or you want any help or advice, don’t hesitate to contact us on 01535 509001,and we’ll be happy to assist however we can!