Car theft is surging in Montreal's east end
Over 2,000 vehicles stolen so far this year. East-end neighborhoods absorb the heaviest hit, but no corner of the island is untouched.
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Montreal's car theft problem is tracking toward a return to pre-2021 levels — but the damage is concentrated. Over 2,000 cars have been reported stolen on the island so far in 2026, putting the city on pace for a full-year total in the low-to-mid 4,000s, according to the SPVM's interactive crime mapping tool.
The east end is absorbing the heaviest load by a significant margin. The Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve corridor and areas stretching north through Rosemont, Villeray and into the François-Perrault zone show the densest clusters of theft. Montreal North also registers prominently.
Central Montreal—NDG, Côte-des-Neiges and Hampstead—shows moderate activity, while Verdun and the south-facing edge of the island have visible concentrations. Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Pointe-Claire and Beaconsfield show noticeably thinner clusters.
Vehicle type matters as much as location. The Toyota RAV4 ranked Quebec's most stolen vehicle in 2024 with 921 thefts reported across the province, followed by the Honda CR-V and Civic. The Jeep Wrangler and Toyota Highlander round out the top five. Small and midsize SUVs with keyless entry systems dominate the theft list.
If you own one of those models and live in a high-activity zone, that combination is worth taking seriously. Équité recommends visible anti-theft devices, keeping key fobs away from doors and windows, parking indoors when possible, and considering a GPS tracker if your model appears on the stolen list.
After peaking at 9,623 thefts in 2023, the numbers have been pulling back—7,287 in 2024, then 5,052 in 2025. If the current pace holds, 2026 will mark the first year below 2021 levels since the theft surge began.